Even through injuries and the adversity that can come with them, Houston keeps one thing consistent, winning!

Key reasons the Astros just keep winning

Key reasons the Astros just keep winning
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa celebrating in game one of the ALDSPhoto by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

The Astros have had a rash of injuries lately that have caused Manager AJ Hinch to piece together a lineup card every night with tape and glue to keep his first-place team winning. Instead of Springer, Altuve, Correa, and Diaz putting crooked numbers on the board and producing league-leading offensive numbers, they have been replaced by young, unfamiliar faces in new places that are being called on to keep the train moving and the team winning. The pitching staff has not been immune to the injury bug either, as Colin McHugh has struggled with an elbow issue and before that, control problems as Hinch and General Manager Jeff Luhnow have scrambled to find a reliable 5th starter to fill out the rotation. Remarkably the one constant in the midst of all the chaos and change has been the team's ability to keep putting victories in the win column while building their lead in the AL West. Let's take a look at the main reasons injuries have not been able to slow the 'Stros down as the title contenders continue to construct a season that has all the makings of another special campaign.

Jeff LuhnowPhoto by Bob Levey/Getty Images

Jeff Luhnow is one of the best GM's in all of baseball and never has that been more noticeable than in the last few weeks since three of his "Core 4" best players went down with injuries. Jose Altuve has been banged up all season and what started out being a hamstring issue quickly expanded to a leg issue during a rehab stint in the minor leagues, thus leaving his return date up in the air. George Springer was next to hit the IL after a back strain was quickly followed up by a hamstring pull that took the leading candidate for AL MVP out of the lineup along with his huge offensive numbers and stellar outfield defense. Carlos Correa was the third member of the Astros All-Star brigade to be put on the shelf after suffering a freak injury while getting a massage at his home. He went on social media to say that he heard a crack and later found out that he had suffered a broken rib. The injury-prone shortstop seemed to finally be completely healthy after several injury-filled seasons and was putting up big numbers offensively, living up to all his potential and the high expectations he has created by being a mainstay in the success of the team over the last several years. When one of the players Luhnow brought in for specific situations like this, Aledmys Diaz, went down with his own hamstring issues, it looked like dark days ahead and all kinds of trouble for Houston's favorite baseball team.

Derek FisherChristian Petersen/Getty Images

Thanks to Luhnow and his staff, no trades have been needed and the team hasn't missed a beat as they have tapped into the farm system and everyone that has been called up and called on has stepped up and done their job to keep the team on track. The names may not be familiar to casual Astros fans and the faces look better suited to fill out a high school yearbook than an MLB lineup, but the results speak for themselves. Miles Straw, Garrett Stubbs, Jack Mayfield, and Derek Fisher have all been huge both offensively and defensively as they have been the Super Glue and duct tape that have kept the squad from falling apart and instead find a way to keep on rolling along. Throw youngster Corbin Martin in that mix as well as he has had one great outing in his Major League debut and a few more serviceable starts as he has filled in for McHugh in the starting rotation.

Astros Michael BrantleyPhoto by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images

Luhnow knows talent and he knows who to hang on to and who to use as trade bate for veteran support when thinking about the long and short term future of the franchise. He has rebuilt and added to one of the best minor league talent pools in the sport and made savvy decisions on free agents and fan favorites to keep the team from over committing money that will come in handy at the trade deadline and moving forward as he does everything in his power to keep this team a contender for years to come. He let Marwin Gonzalez and Dallas Kuechel walk and replaced them with Diaz and the inexpensive, yet highly effective, Wade Miley who has not only stepped in but stepped up in a big way to continue the organization's winning ways. He passed on the big price tag of a Bryce Harper and instead brought in the less expensive and more productive Michael Brantley to add punch to the middle of his lineup and leadership in his clubhouse.

Astros manager A.J. HinchJason Behnken / Getty Images

Manager AJ Hinch also deserves a ton of credit in this recent run of series victories over contending teams as he has been McGyver using every tool and resource in his bag of tricks to make sure the team keeps winning while still being able to get days off for veterans that log a ton of innings over the course of a 162 game season. He has changed his strategy mid-stream and has proven he can play small ball with the best of them when the situation presents itself. Without his potent and powerful regular starting lineup and batting order, Hinch has utilized the speed of Straw and Fisher and timely production and spot starts from Mayfield and Stubbs to grind out wins while playing a far different way than his normal, wall banging brigade of offensive production. A stolen base here, a timely two-out hit there, a sacrifice fly or an important bunt are all in play and more than possible while the MASH Unit remains a who's who of MLB's best. Hinch not only does it with his lineup, but he and pitching coach Brent Strom also do the same with the pitching staff as they attempt to keep the innings down while maintaining the high level of production and effectiveness of both the starting rotation and the bullpen. Houston has one of the best managers in the game and may not have ever been more evident than this last run of victories with so many key players sidelined by injury.

Astros World Seriesphoto by Bob Levey/Getty Images

Even as the manager has pushed all the right buttons and the GM has pulled all the right strings, the players still need to perform to assure the results the fans have grown accustomed to and the owner has come to expect. Alex Bregman and Brantley are steady bats that continue to produce at an all-star level at the plate, while Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole do the same for the starting rotation. The back end of the bullpen has been lights out with Ryan Pressly and Roberto Osuna and Diaz and veteran catcher Robinson Chirinos have been better than anyone could have expected as offseason additions. The clubhouse remains tight and together and there is a strong level of support and comradery for the players in the lineup, especially from those who are out with injury. No one is looking over their shoulder and everyone is looking for a way to contribute to another win, which is exactly how it's supposed to be on a title contending team.

Jim CranePhoto by Alex Bierens de Haan

One final point that needs to be made is that it helps immensely to have an owner that gets it, and supports his employees with the finances when needed as well as the emotional backing that allows them to have confidence doing their jobs. Jim Crane has been the owner Houston desperately needed when it comes to having a successful baseball franchise. He has been generous with his checkbook and smart with his hiring and leadership style. Crane lets his staff do their job and provides support and guidance when necessary. He doesn't meddle too much or talk to the media on a regular basis, but he makes his presence felt in many ways, including his competitive fire that fuels his desire to win and lends itself perfectly to the way he willingly offers up the resources and strong foundation at the top that many top squads in professional sports lack. It all adds up to a winning formula that keeps finding ways to succeed, even during trying times like when injuries hit.

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Can top prospect Brice Matthews give Houston a boost? Composite Getty Image.

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.

*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!

 

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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*ChatGPT assisted.

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