How statement outings from Astros young guns set exciting tone for Houston's season
STONE COLD 'STROS
27 March
A lot will be asked of Cristian Javier and Hunter Brown this year. Composite Getty Image.
When the Astros broke camp over the weekend, the club was coming off strong performances from Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier. Both pitchers have looked good this spring, and that should be a big relief as a lot is riding on these two young arms, especially early in the season.
The Astros will be without Justin Verlander and Jose Urquidy to start the year, so they won't have much margin for error in their rotation. Brown has the stuff to develop into a frontline starting pitcher, and many pundits are expecting him to have a breakout season in 2024.
Javier has already proven he can be a top of the rotation starter, but he's looking to bounce back from a down year in 2023 that saw his ERA jump by over two full runs from his 2022 season.
As it stands right now, the Mariners have the best rotation in the division, but that could quickly change if Javier, Brown, and Framber Valdez live up to expectations. And of course, Justin Verlander returning healthy in a few weeks would give them a huge boost.
Sweet relief
Another area the Astros will look to improve on this season is the bullpen. MLB.com recently published an article ranking baseball's best 'pens. They have the Astros slotted fourth, behind the Phillies (No.1), Braves (No. 2), and Pirates (No. 3).
One of the critical factors in this bullpen's success could come down to how Rafael Montero responds after a down season in which he posted an ERA of five.
And he'll be tested early with Bryan Abreu suspended for the first two games, and a starting rotation that likely won't go more than five or six innings per start in the first week of the season.
Building confidence from his early appearances could make a huge difference for Montero, who struggled with high-leverage situations last year. If he comes in and shuts the Yankees down in this opening series, that would be a great sign that he's poised to have a bounce-back season. Building on early success will be key for Montero.
Be sure to watch the video above for the full discussion!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) every Monday on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. We'll continue to drop more videos throughout the week.
With two picks in the second round, the Houston Texans went defense with their first selection. At No. 42 overall, the Texans selected Georgia defensive back Kamari Lassiter. Lassiter should be able to compete Day 1 at nickelback for Houston, according to NFL.com draft expert Daniel Jeremiah.
Draft analyst Lance Zierlein had Lassiter as a second round pick before he ran a 4.64 forty at his pro day. Both Zierlein and Jeremiah projected Lassiter as a third round pick because of his slow forty time.
He may not be fast, but he can really cover. Lassiter allowed 136 pass yards in coverage in 2023, per PFF. The fewest among FBS cornerbacks.
Protecting the franchise
The Texans turned their attention to the offense with their second pick in the round, selecting Notre Dame right tackle Blake Fisher. Jeremiah said on the broadcast that Fisher was the best tackle on his board when the Texans selected him. Jeremiah believes he would have been a first round pick next season if he went back to school. It will be interesting to see if the Texans experiment with Tytus Howard at guard again this year.
In the third round, the Texans traded up to No. 78 overall and selected USC defensive back Calen Bullock. He recorded 9 int, and 15 pass breakups in his career with the Trojans.
Be sure to watch the video above as we react live to the Texans selections on YouTube!
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