Sometime during the Astros 7-5 loss to the Cards on Sunday, I texted my brother and said, ” These Astros are almost unwatchable. The “almost” allows me to watch Yordan Alvarez’s at-bats as he hit his 10th homer of the season, which is the most in the majors. Oh, and he leads the majors in OBP. SLG (which means he leads in OPS), Offensive WAR, Total bases, Extra Base hits, and is tied for playing the most games.
Sure, it was fun to watch Spencer Arrighetti return and pitch well. And Kai Weng Teng, Enyel De Los Santos, along with Bryan King (before Sunday’s game) have had their moments out of the bullpen.
And the hitters have been enjoyable at times, though often they are chasing a goal post that keeps moving away from them. And some of the hitters are falling back towards 2025 problems.
Here are some stats:
- The Astros are 3-13 in their last 16 games, 8-15 overall, and somehow only 3-1/2 games back in the mediocre and below AL West
- In their first 23 games, the Astros have already had 10 different starting pitchers. That is more than they used in the good old days (2018 or 2022) for an entire season.
- While having 13 pitchers on their 26-man roster at any one time, they have already used 20 pitchers total this far into the season.
- Oh, and those pitchers. Only 6 of the 20 pitchers they’ve used have ERAs under 5 so far and two of those are Hunter Brown (who is on the IL) and Arrighetti (who only has one appearance so far). Twelve of their pitchers have ERAs over six, nine have ERAs over seven…..you get the idea.
- Four of their pitchers (Brown, Tatsuya Imai, Cristian Javier and Cody Bolton) are pitchers who have started games but are currently on the IL.
- After being super hot, both Jose Altuve and Christian Walker have been floating back to the pack. Isaac Paredes (who had a huge hit to end a long slump on Sunday) and Yainer Diaz have both been below the Mendoza Line.
- Of the youngsters, Cam Smith has looked more like the good Cam of 2025, Joey Loperfido was pretty solid (until he ended up on the IL) and Brice Matthews has been an unmitigated disaster so far – hitting .107 BA and culminating in Sunday’s game where he pinch ran and got himself picked off and then made an error on an easy grounder that helped Bryan King crash and burn in the 10th inning. I will not be surprised if I wake up tomorrow and Mr. Matthews is back in my city of Sugar Land.
- The Astros best starting pitcher (Brown) is on the IL. The best relief pitcher (Josh Hader) is on the IL. Their best player from 2025, though not as good as Yordan this year (Jeremy Pena) is on the IL.
And I am still not sure what to ask the Astros to do.
Long-time friend of the blog, Zanuda, wrote the other day…
“Sometimes I think we have better ideas on how to get the most out of players, either by playing them more, less, or bringing them up or sending them down to SL. Of course, we haven’t been asked our opinions by the team management, so I guess we’ll just have to accept the current management. But let’s keep trying!”
My assignment to each of you is to pick out something that you believe needs to be addressed with the Astros and what you would do if given the opportunity and the power to address it.
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
25 responses to “Homework assignment for Astros’ fans”
I”m baffled as to what the Astros immediate decisions should be. But within that indecisive state, I would play Diaz less, send Mathews down and see who’s doing well in the minors to replace Mathews. When will Dezenzo be ready to come back? I hope with this upcoming draft in which the Stros have two 1st rounders and an extra 4th, they pick up some pitching. I”m shocked at the year Parades is having so far. Surely he will come back to the level that we know he has.
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Thoughts
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You asked, Dan, so here goes.
Dan, it’s tough to diagnose the real problem when all we’re seeing are symptoms, and right now the Houston Astros feel like an organization showing symptoms everywhere you look.
You can point to pitching, and there’s plenty there. You can point to a patchwork outfield, and that’s real too. But that starts to feel like shuffling the proverbial chairs on the Titanic instead of asking whether something deeper is off.
If I’m in that seat, I’m not making a move yet, because I don’t want to guess. I want clarity.
I’m bringing in an outside group and giving them 30 days to dig into every part of baseball operations—scouting, player development, medical, coaching, culture—and I’m telling them to go wherever the truth takes them. No protecting titles, tenure, absolutely no protecting feelings.
And they’re not just sitting in a conference room talking to executives. They’re walking the halls, standing in the clubhouse, sitting in the training room. They’re talking to players, coaches, trainers, front office staff, and yes, the janitors too, because the real story of an organization usually shows up in the places leadership doesn’t spend much time.
And they won’t be asking surface-level questions. I want them asking the kind that force you to look in the mirror and decide who you really are:
Until you answer those questions honestly, every move you make is just a shot in the dark.
And this is too important, and too visible, to keep guessing.
At some point, you have to decide if you’re fixing a roster…or if you’re rebuilding the standard.
Okay, you asked!
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A lot of great stuff in there. Self-analysis is important for any successful organization
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Look to 2028 and beyond.
As the deadline approaches, let the league know that Brown, Hader, Abreu, Alvarez, Pena, Smith and anyone else on the roster is available. Build a new foundation from the return. This would not be a Dana Brown exercise. Huge would be the choice of whom would oversee this exercise. It should not be via a series of committee meetings in Jim Cranes office either.
The only way it might work is if Crane is prepared to turn the process over to the real experts, the nerds still left in house and whomever is the league if most valued at rebuild. Pay that person. Leave that person alone. It’s too late for a tweak.
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……whomever in the league most valued at rebuild.
And to add, I’ve always called Luhnow a rat. And he’s probably not interested in baseball today. But I’d forgive him at this point. The guy that fired him should reach out, even if a long shot.
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So, umm, how about those Mets?
If I’m going to take a critical look at the Astros let me first be critical of the Duke Blue Devils basketball team. In 2025, with the most talented college team in the country they blew a big lead against Dan’s Coogs because they couldn’t figure out how to inbound a basketball or dribble it up the court to lose in the Final Four. In 2026, they blew an 18 point lead to UConn in the elite eight for a few reasons. First, they chose to play 7 players all season during games. Second, injuries forced guys who were inexperienced to come off the bench. Third, their coach is on the record of encouraging it to be a player run team being as uninvolved in practice as possible. Finally, with a lead and ten seconds to play that same coach called a play to break the press that involved his freshman point guard trying to pass it over the defense, the opponents made an incredible steal, hit an even more unbelievable shot to take the lead, and advance. Why am I taking shots at ACC coach of the year John Scheyer on a baseball blog? I’m doing it because our coaching seems to stink and I see some parallels. You’re not just there to wear the uniform and turn in a lineup card. As Steven has pointed out, our pitching has not adjusted to a league-wide lowering of the strike zone. Altuve and Matthews are getting picked off the bases in late innings. We have three starters on the IL with questions about how they were prepared for the season and the others have been really inconsistent. So I really like Chip’s suggestion to bring in an independent consultant to observe the entire organization and get to the bottom of this. I think the plan was the group of veterans would know what needed to be done and just let them do as they like. I don’t think it worked.
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My independent consultant would be a new GM. You want to hire a consultant while Dana holds on to his job?
The Astros simply don’t have the talent to win more than they lose. We had a great run. It’s over for multiple reasons. Bad ownership decisions. A GM that went out on a limb and thought he was going to find a batch of reliable pitchers from a list of guys that every organization has already picked over. Everyone wants more pitching. A hands off GM that was seemingly concerned about Hunter Brown’s approach during ST but did nothing about it? Did I mention bad pitching? We don’t even have enough bad pitching in the minors. Bad contracts. See ownership decisions. Aging players. No new young talent. Brice is remarkable unequipped for MLB, even after 112 AAA games last year. My guess is that he’s another draft miss.
It’s not the end of the world, but until the organization accepts reality, we won’t become relevant again.
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Potent outfield in the lineup today.
Taylor Trammel in CF flanked by Dustin Harris (RF) and Brice Matthews (LF).
At least they moved Paredes down in the order (5th) today.
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The last two days
Joey Loperfido and Nick Allen to the IL
Astros send minor leaguer Wilmy Sanchez to the Yanks for INF Braden Shewmake
Cristian Javier to the 60 day IL
Shewmake selected to the MLB roster
Jayden Murray recalled to the MLB roster
JP France assigned to AAA
Ch-ch-changes
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Ch-ch-changes…means Crane and sayin’ ch-ching!
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Astros win, but …. They may have lost Taylor Trammell to the IL.
And while before the season that may not have seemed a big loss – the way the Astros seem to be falling every day and with a very thin OF – this will be tougher to fill.
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And the hits just keep on coming (injuries). Good game tonight. Just like old times.
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This is my kind of question Dan.
First – I would demote Yainer. I would tell him he is going to SL for a month and I want to see 7-8% walk rate. I would tell Storey catch him some, DH him mostly. Bring up Price, split time with Vazquez. One thing about baseball, Vazquez will be coming to Earth soon. Don’t want to over expose him, wear his legs, and make it sooner.
Next, I would stop the Brown carousel. Sure, some times it has worked out (Alexander, Walter) but last years names – Hummel, Short, Trammell, Rodgers, Guillorme, Scott, Murray, VanWhey, Weems, Rooney, just randomly grabbing guys. It wasn’t all bad, but it was mostly bad. The organization has to figure out how to build depth. That means quit trading guys because of money. As frustrating as Dubon has been at times, he is significantly better than Allen both offensively and defensively.
Well, we are back on the carousel again. Back to Trammell. Harris. Bolton and Lambert are offcasts. Murray is back. Now some guy named Shewsomething. And we are only in April. I get it, he inherited a bad minor league system. I tried yesterday scouring the system for who you could bring up instead of claiming Harris. And it was exactly, no one. I can see a world where we keep getting told Yordan is the DH but the roster makes Espada just say “OK one more day in LF big man.”
I know its difficult for Espada. He is trying to make lemonade from lemons. He can’t find a starter to give him 5 today. Getting 5 from Arrighetti must have felt like a miracle considering he has now walked 8 batters in 11 innings. But you have to get this bullpen in defined roles. They can’t keep bouncing between 2 or 3 innings today and a high leverage 1 inning outing 2 days later then back to long relief. I don’t know exactly what makes a bullpen tick, sometimes you think its a good pen and its ends up bad, sometimes vice versa, but I do believe strongly that there is a correlation between a bullpen hierarchy and its success.
AJ Blubaugh right now has .209 BAA pitches 1-25, and .429 BAA against after pitch 26. If you are looking for a new Bryan Abreu, there he is. Bryan Abreu wasn’t Bryan Abreu either at the beginning (or apparently, the end). Personally, I would just tell Abreu calm down, you aren’t the main reason we are 9-14, sure you can pin one loss on him, but its not the back half of the pitching staff thats really blown up, its the front half. Just calm down, throw strikes, trust your stuff. I just know this, every time AJ walks out there knowing its for 1 inning of work, he is blowing it up at 97-98. Every time he walks out thinking its 2-3 innings of work, its 94-95. I’m no physicist but I’m guessing 97 is tougher to hit then 94, and probably, against most hitters, covers up mistakes.
As for long term – I can’t see them blowing this thing up. Correa is untradeable. Walker likely is, though there is a clearer path to that. You wouldn’t dare trade Altuve. They might get ran out of town for trading Yordan or Hunter, and probably Pena too. That leaves trading on the fringe, and the return isn’t great. Given Correa and Altuve’s contracts, and Walkers, I think the closest thing you get to is figuring out how to manage to be ready for 2027, but I woudn’t give up on 2026 yet. Maybe Isaac ends up traded for 2 pitchers that can contribute. I will say this though, Espada has to manage better. Just too many times trying to get extra outs from guys that didn’t get the outs and forced the guys being them to get them anyway or things like trusting Matthews to play 3B, I just don’t know.
Part of me would also considering releasing McCullers now. Jason Alexander couldn’t be this bad. Next man up.
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I knew you would like this Steven
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Ok, here goes:
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Thank you William – good thoughts
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I agree with 1, 2, 3 6, 7. But I doubt Crane will fire Brown immediately. Hunter Brown has two more years after this season so I would hold on to him. Pena does not become a free agent until 2028 but if it looks like he’ll not sign a decent extension then trade him. Yordan is good till 2028 and there’s no way that I can think of trading him unless something strange happens. Why trade away a guy whose ripping the cover off the ball. He came close to hitting three home runs last night but fell short by 15 feet more or less. I wish we could unload Hader, Walker, and Correa but those chances are slim and none. NO WAY do we let CC get vested in 28 – 32. Agree with Steven to demote Yanier until his hitting, and his walk to K ratio improves. The jury is still out on Paredes.
As for the upcoming draft it should be centered on PITCHING, PITCHING, AND MORE PITCHING.
Finally, this all may be moot if there is a lockout next season. The run away salaries and funky way of structuring contracts (Yes, Dodgers I’m talking to you) has got to stop or a lot of people will just stop coming to the games because of the outrageous ticket, concession, parking, and souvenir prices. Yes, I’m all for a salary cap.
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And Trammell heads to the IL
Astros Select Daniel Johnson, Designate Christian Roa For Assignment – MLB Trade Rumors
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What a stinking pitching staff!!!
What a terrible training staff!!
What a terrible minor league system!!
I cannot see Dana Brown lasting beyond the all star break. He has totally continued the wrecking of the minor league system. That is why the club has no one to fill in for the injuries caused by the lack of a sane training staff. Just my $0.02.
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Lots of calls for Browns head. I get that. I wouldn’t be heartbroken if Brown was dismissed.
But he needs to take the coaching staff with him. Pitchers can’t throw strikes, people are played at positions they are not prepared to play at this level, baserunners are getting picked off, but the worst thing……
This is a fictional account but it might not be and you really don’t know –
4th inning, Weiss, Javier, McCullers, who cares pick your starter has now given up a 5-1 lead after walking 2 hitters and giving up a jack. They have thrown 82 pitches. Call down to the pen, get AJ up. 4 more pitches, a 4 pitch walk, go get him. AJ executes a 1-2-3 to get out of the inning. OK we need another inning. Why? Said pitcher walks out there, sees a small decrease in velocity, command starts to waiver around pitch 30, and that’s all the daylight major league hitters need. They are so good, they just need a crack. Pitcher starts getting hit, but Espada waits until he has put 3 more on or given up 2-3 runs. Now he feels he has no choice, and he goes and gets the next guy who now still has to get the same number of outs he had too if he had just been given a clean inning. I get it, Espada is trying to get outs from guys, but when you don’t and the new guy still has to get the outs, the result is extra pitches on the first guy and the same workload on the new guy and put us 3 more runs down to boot.
I think some guys are just born to be bullpen guys. They have the capability of going out there in short spurts, use 2 (maybe 3) pitches, not have to face guys twice in a game, ramp up their velocity, and not let command issues of their 3rd, 4th, or 5th pitches show because they never have to use them facing a hitter only once. To me, that’s AJ Blubaugh and Teng. Insert them into leverage with King. Find the guys that can go multiple innings and serve the rest of the pen. Define the roles. Just put Abreu back in the closer role, have your 3 leverage guys, and have 4 guys that are tweeners, can start or can go long when Weiss is done after 3.
The Astros are at 4006 pitches. They are the only franchise that has thrown 4000 pitches this year. No one else is over 3900. I know, injuries play a part. But if your expectation was Javier was a guy that go throw 6 innings under 100 pitches consistently coming in, you would be a fool. This staff was not built to preserve a bullpen. LMJ has never been a save the bullpen guy. Even our ace Hunter Brown, well, is a pretty consistent 6 inning guy. THIS is why Framber is so valuable to a franchise. This right here.
And what are they doing with Mike Burrows? Does Espada really think taking our one semi-asset from 1500 pitches to 3000 pitches in one season is the way to ensure we get the best 5 years we can from him? We got FIVE years of control on a guy that looks like he can become, even if he hasn’t yet, a plus starter. Not a superstar, but a plus guy. By this time next year he will be hitting 90 and pointing to his elbow in the locker room after starts. Slow the F down.
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BTW – we were all yelling about the prospect of getting Alcantara from Miami. Seemed like a really stupid move if it had come to pass.
Well, Sandy is at a 3.05 ERA and averaging 7 innings a start. While he is averaging 7, we have had one 7 inning start all year. There are quite a few times we are wrong too.
And Jose Soriano promised Angels fans that he would compete for a Cy Young this year. Sounded crazy from a guy with his numbers, yet, here we are. He has clearly been the best pitcher in baseball through the first month. A 2.2 WAR at this point? Where did this guy come from?
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Add Spencer into your hypothetical. I think he’s done great for them since being called up, but if he could avoid the meaningless walks his pitch count would be far lower and allow him to be more than a borderline 5 inning guy.
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Steven – yes – nobody but Hunter or Burrows are likely to go more than 5 – but they thought they would be getting 5 or so from Javier and Imai – instead they are getting 3 innings from Weiss or Lambert or Gordon or….
That is on top of having to weather one inning exits from Javier and Imai earlier. The bullpen is gassed and until they get Brown back and Imai back (and hopefully his head) I don’t see any help. Maybe Sousa comes back. Maybe Hader comes back – but this may be ugly for half the season.
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Well I talk down Lambert and he turns around with a Hunter Brown-ish outing 6 innings of shutout ball and 8 Ks. The bullpen with the usual suspects hold on to the 2-0 lead Yordan gave them.
I’m on vacation y’all – maybe the team senses I can’t watch/listen to them.
You should get a surprise by the weekend
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