How one polarizing Astros move could optimize Houston's offense
EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS
28 April
Should the Astros sacrifice defense for offense?Composite Getty Image.
Through the first month of the season, the Houston Astros' offensive struggles are becoming impossible to ignore — especially when compared to division rivals like the Seattle Mariners.
Isaac Paredes currently leads the Astros with a .392 slugging percentage, which ranks just 88th overall in Major League Baseball. Jeremy Peña isn't far behind, sitting 93rd at .388. For context, not one Astro has cracked the .400 slugging mark, while the Mariners boast four players who have — though a few haven’t officially qualified for leaderboards.
Power outage
The power disparity is stark. The Mariners have already blasted 42 home runs this season — double the Astros’ total of just 21. Houston, in fact, ranks 27th in home runs, 26th in OPS, and 26th in slugging across all of Major League Baseball, dead last among AL West teams. Paredes is the only Astro with at least four home runs, while the Mariners have six such players.
The lineup issues are even deeper. Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz — both expected to provide significant offensive contributions — are batting under .200, placing them among the 22 worst averages in the league. Jose Altuve, typically a steady force, is also underperforming by his standards. His .310 on-base percentage is his lowest since the shortened COVID season, and he has only managed five extra-base hits thus far.
Should Joe Espada consider playing Altuve at second base more often?
With second base production sagging — Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers have failed to provide much punch — the Astros could face a difficult decision: increase Altuve’s time at second to open up opportunities for bats like Chas McCormick or Zach Dezenzo. While the organization has preferred to manage Altuve’s workload at second base carefully, their hand may be forced if the offense continues to sputter. At this point, another month of this and all bets are off.
On the pitching side, there’s some potential good news. Lance McCullers Jr. is nearing a return after an impressive rehab start and could rejoin the team during their series in Chicago. Meanwhile, Forrest Whitley has suffered another setback with a knee injury. A major question for Houston is which of the two — McCullers or Whitley — will be able to make a real impact this season. Given Whitley's struggles to stay healthy, McCullers appears the safer bet.
Don't forget the Astros' biggest goal for this season
Behind the scenes, the Astros’ front office remains focused on a bigger-picture goal: getting under the luxury tax threshold. With several large contracts set to come off the books after the season, Houston appears committed to resetting financially — even if that means enduring some growing pains in the short term.
For now, though, the Astros find themselves in unfamiliar territory: chasing the division both in the standings and at the plate.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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It wasn’t just a win — it was a glimpse into the Astros’ future
Jun 27, 2025, 10:43 pm
Cam Smith hit a three-run homer in his first game against the Cubs since being traded to Houston and Brandon Walter threw six solid innings in his first MLB victory as the Astros beat Chicago 7-4 on Friday night.
THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER.#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/xZ9dvfZYTs
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 28, 2025
Yainer Diaz added a three-run homer as AL West-leading Houston extended its winning streak to five games.
3-run Yainer Bomb!#BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/4zku17xsR0
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 28, 2025
The Astros scored four runs in the third off Cubs starter Cade Horton (3-2), with Jose Altuve scoring on a sacrifice fly by Victor Caratini before Diaz capped the inning with his 377-foot shot to left-center.
Smith, a first-round draft selection by Chicago last year was acquired by the Astros in the offseason as part of the deal for Kyle Tucker, extended Houston’s lead to 7-0 in the fourth with his home run off the left field façade, his sixth of the season. Smith had two hits and scored two runs.
Walter (1-1), a 28-year-old left-hander, allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts. Josh Hader got the final out for his 22nd save.
Jeremy Peña exited in the fifth with left rib soreness. He was hit by a pitch in his left side in the second. There was no immediate word on the extent of his injury.
Nico Hoerner hit a solo home run in the fifth, and Matt Shaw added a two-run double in the seventh and an RBI double in the ninth for NL Central-leading Chicago.
Horton allowed seven runs on eight hits with four walks in four innings.
Tucker was hitless in his return to Houston. He kept the game scoreless in the first, throwing Isaac Paredes out at the plate to end the frame.
Key moment
Hader inducing a lineout to center by Ian Happ to end it with Tucker, representing the tying run, on deck.
Key stat
Houston has its second five-game winning streak for the month of June, and improved to an MLB-best 18-6 this month.
Up next
Cubs RHP Colin Rea (4-3, 4.42 ERA) starts the second game of the three-game series Saturday. Houston has not named a starter.
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