How statement outings from Astros young guns set exciting tone for Houston's season
STONE COLD 'STROS
27 March 2024
STONE COLD 'STROS
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.
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What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's so much more to discuss! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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