How baseball's brightest minds project dominant Astros surge following infield transformations
MLB THINK TANK
20 February 2024
MLB THINK TANK
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.
That’s a … really different look from Jeremy Peña, who has quieted his batting stance down a ton. Makes good contact here in a live BP against Ryan Pressly. pic.twitter.com/pDCO3OlQtJ
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) February 19, 2024
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.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
The home run by Peraza.
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.