The Houston Astros are back in the game with a five-game winning streak.
Despite having a rough start and numerous injuries, they’ve managed to climb within four games of a wild-card spot. They recently swept the Orioles, outscoring them 27-13 in a series featuring Corbin Burnes and Grayson Rodriguez. However, pitcher injuries remain a big issue for the team.
Even with Justin Verlander, Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., and José Urquidy all sidelined, the Astros have improved their record since May. Let’s dive into three main reasons behind this resurgence.
1. Stars Aligning
The team’s top players have been on fire lately. Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Yordan Alvarez have all stepped up their game at the same time. Here’s how they’ve performed over the past month:
| Batter | BA | OBP | SLG | wRC+ |
|——–|—–|——|——|——|
| Altuve | .300 | .336 | .436 | 121 |
| Alvarez| .326 | .387 | .632 | 182 |
| Bregman| .343 | .395 | .571 | 175 |
These numbers show that they’re playing exceptionally well. Fans might think it’s about time these stars shone brightly together!
2. Run Prevention Unit Stepping Up
Even with many pitchers injured, Houston’s pitching has been solid. Framber Valdez and Ronel Blanco have led the rotation well while Hunter Brown has bounced back strongly from his early struggles.
Hunter Brown, 85mph Hammer. ⚒️
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja)
Their defense also deserves credit for keeping opponents’ batting averages low on balls in play. The Astros are likely to seek more pitching depth before the trade deadline to bolster this strength further.
3. Rivals Slipping
Houston’s improvement isn’t just due to their own performance; rivals’ down periods have helped too. Since May began, they’ve posted one of the best records in the American League while other teams stumbled.
Here’s how some top AL competitors have fared since May:
| Team | Astros GB on May 1st | Win% since May 1st |
|———-|———————–:|——————-:|
| Yankees | 8% 67.3% |
| Guardians 9 65.2% |
Orioles 9 62.5%
Mariners 6½ 56%
Twins 6 55.1%
Red Sox 6½ 52.1%
Rays 3 51.1%
Royals 7 50%
Rangers 5½ 44.
Blue Jays 4 43.
Tigers 6½ 40%.
As you can see above some teams posted losing records while others hovered around average play levels allowing Houston space needed regain footing within playoff race stakes again!
How do you feel about Houston’s chances now?
