How Dusty Baker may have finally restored order to Astros lineup, Houston offense
BACK ON TRACK
02 June 2023
The return of Jose Altuve has definitely given the Astros' offense a spark, as expected, but his arrival also created an opportunity for a ripple effect in the batting order. It took some time, but Dusty Baker has finally gone back to a similar lineup from the postseason, which was clearly effective for the club.
Slotting Jeremy Pena back in the 2-hole, and moving Alex Bregman to cleanup seems to be the secret sauce for the team. As excited as we are to see the offense get going, many question why it took so long for Dusty Baker to make the switch. Especially considering that Jose Abreu has been the worst offensive player on the team, and Baker continued to bat Abreu fourth with no success for almost a third of the season.
So will this be the set order moving forward, or is there still some tinkering to do with the lineup to maximize results?
Be sure to watch the video above as we break it all down!
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Peyton Manning drops truth bombs on CJ Stroud and Texans doubters
Jun 26, 2025, 3:23 pm
Peyton Manning had some very interesting comments recently about CJ Stroud's perceived sophomore slump last season. Much of the skepticism, Manning believes, comes from surface-level narratives. The Texans went 10-7 in the regular season last year, a step back from the lofty expectations set after C.J. Stroud’s electric rookie year and Houston’s dramatic playoff push.
And while the offense didn’t maintain its early-season explosion under Bobby Slowik, people seem to be overlooking how that same Texans team ended the year: as one of the last four teams standing in the AFC — alongside the Chiefs, Bills, and Ravens.
Stroud has now won a playoff game in his first two seasons, while Manning didn't win his first playoff game until year six of his career.
With a new OC in house, and DeMeco Ryans leading the way, Manning likes what he's seeing from Stroud and the Texans moving forward.
It’s pretty cool watching Stroud take in praise from one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. Manning gets it, and before long, the rest of the league and media will too.
Check out the video below to see the full conversation!
Peyton Manning on CJ Stroud at @FanaticsFest:
“He went to the playoffs in his 2nd year. He was 22. Let’s be careful saying it was a down year. I didn’t win a playoff game ‘til my SIXTH year. He’s 2 for 2.” pic.twitter.com/dtd9dU5Nj1
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 25, 2025
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