How Astros rookie manager, catcher have refocused Houston's championship window
FUTURE IS BRIGHT
15 August 2024
Change can be a good thing. Composite Getty Image.
The Houston Astros are on an 8-game tear and the offense is doing its part despite the absence of slugger Kyle Tucker.
One of the main reasons for the team's success has been Yainer Diaz's ability to protect Yordan Alvarez in the lineup while they await the return of Tucker.
Diaz has made several improvements this season, one of which is significantly decreasing his strikeouts. Clearly, Diaz feels a lot more comfortable at the plate in 2024.
Hitting coach Alex Cintron told The Athletic recently that he believes Diaz was pressing last season, thinking if he didn't produce at a high level, he wouldn't get regular playing time.
But as we look back at last season, there really wasn't anything Diaz could have done to replace Martin Maldonado at catcher. Dusty Baker was unwilling to play any catchers over Maldy no matter the results or pressure from the front office.
When Astros GM James Click traded for Christian Vazquez in 2022, Baker held steady to playing Maldy. Baker also allegedly convinced owner Jim Crane to veto a trade for catcher Willson Contreras.
Last season, GM Dana Brown said he would like to see Diaz get more playing time at catcher. Dusty stuck to his guns with Maldy, despite the aging player's historic lows on offense and Diaz making a run at Rookie of the Year.
When the playoffs arrived, Diaz didn't get one start at catcher, and zero starts period in the ALCS. Maldonado hit .125 in that series, just a few points higher than his .119 batting average in 2024 with Chicago that led to him getting DFA'd.
Furthering the case that Maldy was done last year, but Baker wouldn't make the switch.
One has to wonder if giving Diaz more playing time at catcher during the regular season could have provided the Astros with the edge needed to overcome the Rangers and return to the World Series.
A new day
Houston's manager and front office now seem to share the same vision. Joe Espada is much more willing to give young players opportunities to prove they can do the job. When Dana Brown promotes players to the big league roster, Espada gives them a chance to play.
There doesn't seem to be friction between the manager and the front office. And you never know when a young player can give a team a spark.
The Rangers had no problem elevating prospect Evan Carter in 2023. They brought him to the big leagues in September, and he was a force in their offense that helped the team eventually secure a championship.
That's why it's exciting to see Espada and Brown give opportunities to guys like Zach Dezenzo, Joey Loperfido (before he was traded), and Pedro Leon.
Plus, look at the perception of Espada now with Astros fans. Many were ready to run him out of town early in the year, and hope Baker would come save the club.
Fast-forward to August, and the Astros hold a three-game lead over the Mariners for first place in the division.
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine the impact Diaz and Espada are having on the streaking 'Stros, if the Astros missed a big opportunity in 2023, and much more!
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.
Astros carved up 2 of the NL’s best, but that’s just part of the story
Jun 30, 2025, 4:53 pm
The Houston Astros closed out a powerful homestand with a statement series win over the Cubs, led by the continued emergence of Cam Smith and the lockdown stuff of Bryan Abreu. Smith, who seems to live for high-leverage moments, went toe-to-toe with Kyle Tucker and delivered again and again, further cementing his place in Houston’s growing offensive core. Meanwhile, Abreu was simply untouchable—striking out all four batters he faced in a lights-out appearance on Thursday and returning Sunday to toss two scoreless innings in front of Josh Hader’s 23rd straight save. The bullpen continues to impress.
As Houston heads west for a six-game road trip, starting with the Rockies and ending with the Dodgers, the rotation will remain under the microscope. On paper, the Rockies series should be a tune-up—Colorado owns the worst record in baseball. But even in a small three-game set, anything can happen. The Dodgers are a different animal entirely. They’ve been the class of the National League and pose a challenge that may mirror what the Astros saw from the Phillies and Cubs—but this time, Houston won’t have the advantage of home field. Considering the team’s elite pitching and recent play, the Astros should still feel confident, but they’ll need to prove they can sustain this level on the road.
Trade speculation is beginning to swirl, particularly around Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins. Mullins hasn’t lit it up this season—he’s hitting just .213—but his 12 home runs suggest some underlying pop. Houston may believe there's untapped potential in his swing that can be unlocked. It's a move that would fit the Astros’ track record: buying low on a talented player and letting their system do the rest.
Speaking of roster decisions, Christian Walker's bat is officially on watch. Despite showing flashes of life earlier this season, Walker hit just .221 in June and has been dropped to seventh in the lineup. Meanwhile, Jon Singleton has been crushing home runs in Sugar Land and waiting patiently for another big-league shot. The organization has to be thinking about giving Singleton a chance if Walker’s struggles continue.
But not every question has an immediate answer. Lance McCullers Jr.’s return from the injured list was rocky at best, surrendering eight runs in a short outing. Still, the reaction from fans calling for his release is premature at best and delusional at worst. Joe Espada left him in too long, and everyone knew it. It's still June, and McCullers is a proven postseason arm. He’s not going anywhere, not with that contract—and frankly, not with the upside he still offers.
More to the story
Then there's Jeremy Peña. The hope was that his sore ribs were nothing serious. That changed after the homestand, when further imaging revealed a small fracture and landed Peña on the 10-day IL. It’s a frustrating development, but credit the Astros’ medical staff for pushing for clarity—learning from the Yordan Alvarez situation this year. With superagent Scott Boras now representing him, it appeared negotiations were over. But Astros GM Dana Brown revealed on the pregame show this weekend that he’s already reached back out to Boras to reopen the conversation. Whether both sides can agree to new terms is a different story.
So while the Astros leave home riding a wave of momentum, the road ahead holds tougher matchups, key roster questions, and new injury concerns. They’ve shown they’re built to weather all of it. Now they’ll have to prove it.
There's so much more to get to! 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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