MLB THINK TANK

How baseball's brightest minds project dominant Astros surge following infield transformations

How baseball's brightest minds project dominant Astros surge following infield transformations
Think tank projects DOMINANT Astros surge following several infield TRANSFORMATIONS

With the Astros upcoming season right around the corner, we're starting to see projections for how many games the club will win in 2024.

Baseball Prospectus released its PECOTA rankings, which have the team winning the division with 95 victories. The Rangers are predicted to finish in second place with 86 wins.

95 wins is a pretty aggressive number, but if the Astros' infield lives up to expectations, it's not hard to envision them knocking on the door of nearly 100 wins.

Alex Bregman is in great shape having gained 23 pounds this offseason. With it being a contract year for him, many are expecting big things from Breggy in 2024.

Yainer Diaz should be an immediate upgrade over Martin Maldonado, and Jeremy Pena was showing off his new swing on Monday against Ryan Pressly. Manger Joe Espada said Pena is hitting to all fields with more air under the ball and an increase in power.

Be sure to watch the video above as we discuss the expectations for the season, examine the Astros 2024 infield, and much more!

Watch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange and Josh Jordan every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel.

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The Angels beat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.

Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.

The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.

Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.

Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.

Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.

Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.

Key moment

Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.

Key Stat

Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.

Up next

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.

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