Plus: A quick Draft recap
You must go back to 2016 -- the last time the Astros didn't make the playoffs -- to find a Houston club that had as few as 50 wins at the All-Star break and wasn't in first place in the American League West. The defending World Series champions have underachieved in some areas, but injuries have played a huge role in their struggles. Considering the injuries they've had, the fact the Astros are only two games behind the Texas Rangers is impressive. All-Star slugger Yordan Alvarez missed the final 28 games before the break with an oblique injury and star second baseman Jose Altuve missed the first 43 games of the season with a fractured thumb and the last six games with an oblique injury. |
The Astros lost three-fifths of their starting rotation to injury, although one of those pitchers, José Urquidy, could be back by the start of August. Alvarez and Altuve are nearing a return as well, so there are reasons for optimism in the second half. In the meantime, let's look back at the first half: |
What we learned in the first half You can never have enough pitching. Yes, it seemed the Astros did have plenty of pitching last year when they ran through the playoffs and had the luxury of stashing two starters (Urquidy and Luis Garcia) in the bullpen in October, but injuries have ravaged their rotation in '23. Four rookie starting pitchers have logged 35 starts in Houston's 91 games in the first half. They have helped keep the rotation competitive and Urquidy is close to returning, but the Astros could use another pitcher. |
Likely Trade Deadline strategy The Astros will be buyers, which should come as no surprise. But Astros fans who have gotten used to the team pulling off impact midseason trades for the likes of Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke might want to temper expectations. There's a case to be made that getting Alvarez, Altuve and Urquidy back from the IL will be enough to bolster their playoff chances. And if they do add, it probably wouldn't be a big-name player or pitcher. Key player Alvarez. The slugger was leading the Major Leagues with 55 RBIs when he injured his oblique swinging the bat on June 8 in Toronto and landed on the injured list. The Astros went 14-14 sans Alvarez in the 28 games before the break. He is expected to begin a Minor League rehab assignment shortly after returning from the All-Star Game. Altuve is also close to returning from an oblique injury. Keep in mind that Alvarez and Altuve have been in the lineup together for only 13 games in 2023 and the Astros are 10-3 in those games. |
Prospect to watch Spencer Arrighetti. Could the Astros' addition to the starting rotation be one of the organization's top pitching prospects? Look at it this way: If the Astros aren't going to acquire a big-name pitcher, why not see what Arrighetti has to offer? And all it will cost is some service time. Arrighetti, the team's highest-ranked right-handed pitching prospect, had a 4.15 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings at Double-A before getting promoted last month to Triple-A, where he has a 4.50 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 12 innings. |
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"Well, we look like a band this year because we got 'em all the same blue blazer. And so the only thing is, as the leader of the band, I didn't wear mine. So, I just had to let people know I was leader of the band." -- Baker at the All-Star Game in Seattle, where his coaching staff traveled with blue blazers. Last year, he bought his coaching staff suits for the All-Star Game. |
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The Astros' first MLB Draft under general manager Dana Brown was completed Tuesday, with the club selecting 20 players: eight pitchers, six infielders, four outfielders and two catchers. Of the 20 selections, 16 came out of the collegiate ranks and four from high school, including first-round pick, shortstop Brice Matthews, of Atascocita High School in suburban Houston. "Excited," Astros scouting director Kris Gross said. "We stuck with our philosophy of just athlete strike-throwing guys on the mound, with some traits. Guys we think can start long-term. And then a group of guys who play up the middle, defensively, that showed some ability with the bat. I'm pretty excited about the haul we ended up getting today. Can't forget we got a couple of backstops -- one from the University of Texas [Garret Guillemette in the 15th round] and then the Tyler JC kid [Will Bush in the 16th round]. He was also at our workout and really impressed us with his raw power at the plate and his arm strength. The goal now for Gross is to sign the players by the July 25 deadline. "Always the sooner the better," Gross said. "The Draft is never over until they're out on the field. We're going to try to, as a group, get those things going [Tuesday] and be in contact with the agent and the players. Looking forward to setting up physical dates in Houston or Florida and get them out playing." |
THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY |
July 13, 2004: Houston hosted the All-Star Game for the third time -- and first time at Minute Maid Park -- with four Astros being named to the National League team: second baseman Jeff Kent (starter), pitcher Roger Clemens (starter), outfielder Carlos Beltran and outfielder Lance Berkman. Clemens, starting the All-Star Game for the second time in his hometown (1986), gave up six runs (three earned) in the first inning of a 9-4 American League victory. Astros manager Jimy Williams, whose club was struggling at 44-44 at the break, was booed when he was introduced prior to the game and was fired the next day. The Astros tabbed Phil Garner to be their interim manager and went 36–10 down the stretch in 2004 to win the NL Wild Card on the final day of the regular season. In 2005, Garner guided the Astros to the playoffs after a 15-30 start and into the World Series, where they were swept in four games by the Chicago White Sox. "I was excited about the opportunity because of the club," Garner said. "I never had the number of quality players I thought the Astros had." |
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