How Astros retribution campaign hinges on solving outfield balancing act
STONE COLD 'STROS
20 February
While most of the Astros roster is returning for the 2024 season, there are still some areas of uncertainty for the club. Astros manager Joe Espada will have some tough decisions to make in his first season managing the team.
The Astros infield is set, so we know who will be playing on a nightly basis, assuming health. The outfield is where things get tricky. Espada told the Houston Chronicle last week that he hopes to play Alvarez more in left field this season, which would open up the DH spot for Chas McCormick and players he would like to rest while keeping their bat in the lineup (Yainer Diaz, Jose Altuve, etc).
Astros GM Dana Brown would like to see if Jake Meyers can hit well enough to play regularly in center field. This is a team that stresses defense, which Meyers provides. But if defense is the top priority, wouldn't that mean Chas McCormick should play left field with Yordan Alvarez hitting in the DH spot?
Certainly, there will be nights when that's the case. The reality of the situation is all these guys are going to play, but how much and where is yet to be seen.
Houston plays 20 games in 21 days to start the season, so it's not going to take long to see if Meyers is providing enough offense to play regularly. If we get into the month of May and Meyers is an offensive liability in the lineup, we won't be surprised if his playing time starts to decrease. But by how much?
Don't miss the video as we examine how Joe Espada will deploy his outfielders and get the most out of the DH this season!
Watch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel.
Early breakdown of how Astros stack up against potential playoff opponents
Sep 17, 2024, 5:03 pm
With only a dozen games left in the regular season, the playoff matchups the Astros could find themselves in are becoming clear.
It's looking more likely that Houston will be hosting either the Tigers, Twins, or Mariners.
Out of these three teams, which club gives the Astros the best chance to move on to the next round?
The Twins may have a winning record (4-2) against the 'Stros this season, but over the last 30 days, they haven't been playing well.
They are 28th in team ERA (4.96), and 21st in team OPS (.676). The Mariners and Tigers are much better than Minnesota in both categories. It's important to pay attention to how teams are playing as the regular season comes to an end.
But there are other factors to consider. Carlos Correa is back from injury, and the Twins have some big arms that have given the Astros trouble in the past.
This is one video you don't want to miss as we examine the Astros potential playoff matchups and try to determine which team would give Houston the best shot to advance to the divisional series.
*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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