Astros 2025: It’s Crystal Ball Time

Before I get started here, here is my public service announcement to all our readers here. The predictions below are for entertainment purposes. Your faithful writer does not bet based on his predictions and begs you to follow the same.

Note: If you do use these predictions and win a ton of money – we would not turn down a 10% finder’s fee – though if you lose – tough luck suckers.

However, we do ask you in the comments below to take your own shot at predicting various facets of the 2025 season, so you can be publicly embarrassed and humbled at the end of the season, if we remember to re-visit this post. 

The AL West

A quick reminder, in 2024 the final standings were:

Astros 88-73

M’s 85-77

Rangers 78-84

A’s 69-93

Angels 63-99

The following are also some reviews from mlbtraderumors.om (except for the A’s) to let you know some of the losses and additions with the other teams in the division. If you don’t know what changed with the Astros in the off-season – what are you doing here?

Note – some of these off-season reviews are more up to date than others.

Texas Rangers

Offseason In Review: Texas Rangers – MLB Trade Rumors

Seattle Mariners

Offseason In Review: Seattle Mariners – MLB Trade Rumors

Los Angeles Angels of Somewhere in Southern California

Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Angels – MLB Trade Rumors

The Oakland A’s of Anywhere but Oakland

2025 Athletics Offseason Tracker | RosterResource | FanGraphs Baseball

Swami Dan P predicts….

Astros 91-71

M’s 87-75

A’s 81-81

Rangers 80-82

Angels 67-95

I can hear the complaints about this right now. How can the Astros be better without Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, Justin Verlander, Yusei Kikuchi and Ryan Pressly? Won’t one of the other teams, especially the M’s or Rangers make a charge at them?

Well – I think the Astros have done what they have done often during their Renaissance. They have filled in behind the lineup losses with enough other folks to plug the holes (especially considering that Tucker only played a little more than half a season, Verlander was not good, Pressly was meh and Kikuchi was only here for a couple months). I also don’t think this team will start as bad as 2024 and so won’t be straining uphill for half the season just to get back to even.

And – I just don’t see any of the other teams in the division getting good enough to pass us. The M’s did not do enough with their lineup. The Rangers look like they will be fine until their starters are all in the infirmary – again. The Angels do not excite me. The A’s may be the most improved, but that might get them to .500.

Only the division winner Astros made the playoffs last season and only the Astros will make it in 2025.

The Playoffs

2025 AL Predictions

Division Winners – Orioles / Twins / Astros

Wild Cards – Tigers / Yankees / Guardindians

ALWC 1 – Astros over Guardindians

ALWC2 – Yankees over Tigers

ALDS1 – Orioles over Astros

ALDS2 – Twins over Yankees

ALCS – Orioles over Twins

WS – Dodgers over whoever

Astro Individual Predictions

Pitching

Wins – Starters

ERA – Starters

  • 2024 – 2.80 ERA – Ronel Blanco
  • 2025 – 2.93 ERA – Framber

Innings

  • 2024 – 176.1 innings – Framber
  • 2025 – 168 innings – Ronel Blanco

WHIP – Starters

  • 2024 – 1.088 – Blanco
  • 2025 – 1.055 – Framber

Ks – Starters

Saves

Wins – Reliever

ERA – Reliever

  • 2024 – 2.23 – Tayler Scott (for relievers with more than 50 appearances)
  • 2025 – 2.42 – Josh Hader

Appearances

  • 2024 – 78 – Abreu
  • 2025 – 74 – Abreu

Ks – Reliever

  • 2024 – 105 – Hader
  • 2025 – 100 – Abreu

Position Players

Batting Average (Qualifiers)

On-Base (Qualifiers)

  • 2024 – Alvarez – .392
  • 2025 – Alvarez – .405

OPS (Qualifiers)

  • 2024 – Alvarez – .959
  • 2025 – Alvarez – 1.007

Runs scored

Home Runs

  • 2024 – 35 home runs – Alvarez
  • 2025 – 43 home runs – Alvarez

RBIs

Stolen Bases

  • 2024 – 22 SBs – Altuve
  • 2025 – 20 SBs – Pena

Individual Awards

AL Rookie of the Year – Cam Smith

AL MVP – Yordan Alvarez comes in 2nd

Cy Young – Hunter Brown comes in 5th / Framber Valdez comes in 4th

OK, that is enough from Dan P – what are your predictions for 2025 and you can go wherever you want with those. You are not restricted to where this post went.

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21 responses to “Astros 2025: It’s Crystal Ball Time”

    • I probably would remind people of that Adam Ant song lyrics “…don’t drink, don’t smoke – what do you do….”

      Other than buying a space or two in a Super Bowl pool a few times – I’ve only gambled twice in my life.

      • I was on assignment in Panama City Fl and had a day off – went with a couple friends to the local dog track – I bet the minimum on each race – I think I won once and ended up like $10 down
      • My wife bid on a grouping of items at the kid’s high school band fund raiser and one of the things we won was 4 seats at the Sam Houston horse racing track. We bet the minimum each race and won the last one on a longer shot to break even for the night. Some of the regulars got a good laugh at how excited we were to win that one.

      Oh, and not sure if this counts – my mom who loves to go gamble tried to rope me in by giving me $20 worth of scratch off tickets for my birthday. Crappy birthday as all I got was more carpal tunnel scratching them off….

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  3. Today’s lineup

    Altuve LF

    Paredes 3B

    Alvarez DH

    Walker 1B

    Diaz C

    Pena SS

    Smith RF

    Rodgers 2B

    Meyers CF

    And Framber on the mound

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  4. Oh gosh, what an effort! You won’t get all that from me. I’m too busy sitting out here in the Atlantic watching the game.

    Just watching this line up, I can’t help but to think they are going to hit. I’m still not sure about the Cam decision. It’s going to take me a month or more. I would have rather have gone with Dezenzo and Chas initially. Maybe Chas would have awakened and become a trade piece while Cam tore up AAA, forcing the inevitable. But yes, I think the offense will at least match 2024.

    We have a much stronger right side of the infield defensively. Paredes looks like he wants to prove something over at third. Pena, as much as we complain about him, is steady. And Yainer has to be a bit more relaxed as he enters his third season. We still have a very solid centerfield with both Jake and Chas. And we do have a couple of real question marks out in the corners. Maybe Jose will go back to second when we go on the road where the average park is much bigger in left. Maybe Rodgers will sit much more on the road where he’s never really hit. I’m hoping the guy finds A/C Park a cozy place to hit.

    Framber is giving us a Framber game. Hunter will give a much different look. I’m more concerned about Spencer. He needs to trust his stuff and throw strikes without getting too stylish. And I’m not worried about Blanco. With Wesneski, we’ve got a legit fifth stater. And maybe McCullers on the horizon. And Gusto hopefully getting important outs in the pen. Remember how bad it was for the first couple of months last year? Good health is the key.

    I just don’t know about the pen though. I’m not looking forward to tight games late. I will continue to turn off games that go into extras. We’ll just have to hope that a couple of guys show up. Whitley when healthy? And maybe Montero. He’s always been erratic. Maybe he’s due again.

    And the bench has Caratini, Chas, Dubon and Dezenzo. It’s arguably a stronger and more versatile group than we’ve had in a while.

    All in all these guys can win 90 plus. I’m looking forward to seeing how this thing shapes up.

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  5. Oh gosh, what an effort! You won’t get all that from me. I’m too busy sitting out here in the Atlantic watching the game.

    Just watching this line up, I can’t help but to think they are going to hit. I’m still not sure about the Cam decision. It’s going to take me a month or more. I would have rather have gone with Dezenzo and Chas initially. Maybe Chas would have awakened and become a trade piece while Cam tore up AAA, forcing the inevitable. But yes, I think the offense will at least match 2024.

    We have a much stronger right side of the infield defensively. Paredes looks like he wants to prove something over at third. Pena, as much as we complain about him, is steady. And Yainer has to be a bit more relaxed as he enters his third season. We still have a very solid centerfield with both Jake and Chas. And we do have a couple of real question marks out in the corners. Maybe Jose will go back to second when we go on the road where the average park is much bigger in left. Maybe Rodgers will sit much more on the road where he’s never really hit. I’m hoping the guy finds A/C Park a cozy place to hit.

    Framber is giving us a Framber game. Hunter will give a much different look. I’m more concerned about Spencer. He needs to trust his stuff and throw strikes without getting too stylish. And I’m not worried about Blanco. With Wesneski, we’ve got a legit fifth stater. And maybe McCullers on the horizon. And Gusto hopefully getting important outs in the pen. Remember how bad it was for the first couple of months last year? Good health is the key.

    I just don’t know about the pen though. I’m not looking forward to tight games late. I will continue to turn off games that go into extras. We’ll just have to hope that a couple of guys show up. Whitley when healthy? And maybe Montero. He’s always been erratic. Maybe he’s due again.

    And the bench has Caratini, Chas, Dubon and Dezenzo. It’s arguably a stronger and more versatile group than we’ve had in a while.

    All in all these guys can win 90 plus. I’m looking forward to seeing how this thing shapes up.

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  6. I’ll predict that Altuve leads the team in K’s (not good). Abreu loaded the bases in the 8th but escaped (heart palpitations). And then Hader almost implodes in the 9th but does complete the “W”. It’s 1 – 0 so we’ll take it. Cam Smith comes through and Jake looks like a superstar. Framber pitched like Cy Young (thank goodness). We’ll keep an eye on the guys and hope we’ll start a winning streak as opposed to last year.

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    • I have a lot of mixed thoughts. We burned Abreu and Hader today, but got the win. We need the other guys to step up tomorrow. Espada can’t wear out the pen like last year or the season will be over in August. You know how we can avoid that? They can hit better and not strike out with RISP.

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      • He had no choice last year. But starting out needing 60 pitches for the last 2 innings is a bad start.

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  8. We got an Opening Day win and our Ace pitched like an ace. Abreu was around the plate, had excellent stuff but got a bit too fine. It does look like Hader is going to put us on a roller coaster ride again. He was not fooling anyone until he got Soto on the 3-2 pitch two feet off the plate. The pen will have to work without both guys today. Maybe the bats will come alive today. The Astros are in first place.

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  9. Opening Day Thoughts

    • Framber was absolutely great and went deeper than I would have thought. Loved how he got upset with a non-strike call but turned around and got an immediate double play.
    • It is easy to freak out about the bullpen struggles yesterday. A quick reminder – last year the Astros started 0-4 and then 1-5. The losers of those first five games were Pressly, Scott, Abreu, Hader and Hader. This wasn’t great, but not disastrous.
    • I do get concerned when I watch Hader get all those 2 strike counts and then can’t close it out on the first three hitters. Abreu was pitching really well – got two outs then pitched around Soto and seemed to lose it a bit – walking the next two before getting the last out.
    • Looking at the newbies (to us)
      • Cam Smith – loved his first at bat – going the other way for a single that sent Pena scampering to third helping the Astros to a 1-0 lead
      • Paredes – no hits, but was patient – drew a walk and scored the second run
      • Walker – put the ball in play all 4 times, good wood on it 3 times including a single which allowed him to score the third run
      • All seemed to play their positions well
    • Loved Pena snagging a sure hit with a super leap off the first hitter. Got on twice and scored the first run.
    • Altuve made a nice running catch on a gapper with two guys on and had one hit to go with a couple Ks
    • If we can get good at bats and decent hitting out of Jake like last night – 2 hits and an RBI – we will be in good shape.
    • Diaz with an RBI hit and importantly a walk (if he walks I think it will so help his game). Had a key defensive play with a little luck involved. Missed a Framber pitch that broke way inside – had it come straight back to him – threw the runner out at 3rd with a bb that Paredes short hopped
    • Yordan with no hits but drew a couple walks
    • Folks were wondering if Altuve would be replaced for defense late, but Chas came in for Cam

    Satisfying win – let’s take the series tonight.

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  11. My first thought is this is the team I wanted to see – didn’t chase a lot, worked counts, got Holmes out of the game on pitch 90 still in the 5th inning. Holmes threw a lot of pitches that were easy to lay off of, but Pena and Diaz both had outside sliders that you just know this time last year they were chasing. I feel like Paredes doesn’t start an at bat until the count is 3-2. I love it.

    Now Altuve, not so much. He looked terrible in all 3 strikeouts, chasing pitches out of the zone, but we have seen these kinds of games from him through the years. It’s just one game. He will bounce back tomorrow.

    I was more concerned with both Hader and Abreu’s velocity than anything else. Neither one looked in mid-season form for sure. I think they both had 1 pitch at 97. The rest, was 94-96. Abreu walking 3 straight and having to work his way out of it, he has just become so slider reliant. Take a look at an inning of Bryan Abreu in 2022, dotting corners with his fastball, hitting 99, and mixing in the slider to keep them off balance, to today, throwing 95 and throwing sliders on more than half his pitches. He is still SO good, but he isn’t the Bryan Abreu of 2022. Hader just couldn’t get a pitch past Acuna, and that at bat will probably make him unavailable for game 2. Like Abreu, not the same pitcher as he was when he intimidated every hitter in the league.

    I hate to slam on Rodgers, but gosh durnit, every year there is some guy that makes me wonder why. First thing my brain said when Brown said yea another guy here to get some pitches on the pitcher was, well, yea, it takes at least 3 pitches to strike out. Thats one positive about it. Granted, I thought Josh said it best on sportsmap this morning, that walk Rodgers drew was critical to that 1st run – and I agree we would find it much more unlikely that Dubon would have drawn that walk.

    Framber was great. You never know with him, he let his emotions out a little bit on that call he wanted (which calling it a ball was the right call), and I thought that wasn’t a pitch to try and work that umpires nerves for, but he brought it back, then went out and threw a lights out 7th. We could get a career year. Or we could get a meltdown anytime now and a .500 season. Who knows.

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  12. As for predictions – I’ll take the Astros and the division at 92 wins. I think the Mariners win a wild card at 87 wins. No one else is too close. The Rangers probably do finish on the plus side at 82 wins.

    Astros, Twins, Stankees win their divisions, Boston, Baltimore and Mariners are the WCs. I’ll take the Stankees to win the AL again, and lose to the Dodgers in another rematch. But I think the Astros have a VERY good chance this time around in the playoffs, to be the team the Dodgers see in the WS.

    We always have to caveat “if they stay healthy” but Framber and Yordan have top 5 finishes for their respective awards. Brown is a lot of peoples darkhorse, but I think he will be inconsistent enough at times that he will probably be around 14-15 wins and 7-8 losses and 3 or 4 starts will cost him. We haven’t seen his career year yet. It’s still coming.

    The minute after watching Cam get the nod I thought this is the RoY. After watching his at bats, he is going to have to settle down. The “base hit” was just a hit because Pena was on first and Alonzo was holding the bag. The ball got on him so fast, it was really not an aggressive swing. Two plays in right that maybe Chas makes one or both of, I see enough to know there is still some refinement both at the plate and the field he needs to make. He has the right guys around to help him, but in the end those adjustments are on him to make. I still think he is my favorite to win it, I think he is just too good an athlete to not have some hot streaks, but I’ll take it down from my overwhelming favorite to just favorite.

    I predict Paredes and Walker are going to be exactly what the doctor ordered. Altuve will be fine, hitting around .290 with some power and making all the routine plays. Jake Meyers is going to eventually slump but right now he is getting solid contact through all of ST and in the first game of the year, he keeps his job. Pena takes another step forward power wise, getting to 20-25 HRs, but stays the same 4:1 K/BB ratio and .310 OBP we’ve come to know. Yainer takes the step forward to become not one of the best offensive catchers in the game but THE best offensive catcher in the game. McCullers makes 15-20 starts (now THAT is a bold prediction).

    Its still a good time to be an Astros fan. Not as good as 2017-2022, but it’s still a good time.

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  17. OK , it looks like I’ll have to eat crow since Altuve is spanking the ball. Thank goodness for our pitching staff.

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