Most of the focus on the Astros has swirled around Hunter Brown’s return and how that would affect the rotation going forward.
It feels like the right time to take a look at the Astros’ position players and how they rate compared to the other American League players at each position.
Below are the Astros’ numbers for each position based on a cumulative total of everyone who played that position this year. Below those stats are the numbers’ rankings in the AL after games on June 16.
Note – for K’s the higher the number place in the AL – the better. E.g. The DH’s 11th place in Ks means that he is the 5th best DH at avoiding the K.
| Position | BA | OBP | OPS | HR | RBI | Ks | BBs |
| DH | .324 (1st in AL) | .412 (1st) | 1.034 (1st) | 23 (1st) | 56 (1st) | 61 (11th) | 39 (1st) |
| C | .205 (12th) | .255 (14th) | .578 (13th) | 6 (10th) | 31 (6th) | 47 (15th) | 17 (14th) |
| 1B | .238 (10th) | .311 (11th) | .790 (6th) | 18 T (2nd) | 54 (3rd) | 68 (9th) | 26 (10th) |
| 2B | .226 (13th) | .294 (12th) | .651 (13th) | 8 (4th) | 23 (14th) | 71 (2nd) | 25 (8th) |
| SS | .265 (5th) | .329 (6th) | .724 (7th) | 8 T(7th) | 30 (8th) | 53 (11th) | 26 (6th) |
| 3B | .250 (6th) | .349 (5th) | .778 (4th) | 11 (6th) | 36 (6th) | 53 (10th) | 33 (5th) |
| LF | .196 (15th) | .282 (15th) | .645 (12th) | 9 T(3rd) | 32 (8th) | 85 (2nd) | 27 (8th) |
| CF | .236 (9th) | .295 (11th) | .649 (10th) | 5 (10th) | 26 (10th) | 70 (4th) | 21 (12th) |
| RF | .234 (10th) | .317 (9th) | .694 (9th) | 8 T(6th) | 29 (10th) | 79 (3rd) | 28 (4th) |
General Notes
- The numbers are so-so as out of 63 categories above….
- The Astros are in the top 7 in 29 categories. They are in the bottom 7 in 30 categories
- And they are smack in the middle at 8 in 4 categories
- Of course, the Yordan-dominated DH spot accounts for 7 of those 29 top 7 spots.
- And with Carlos Correa out for the rest of the year – you may expect the 3B spot to sink over time.
DH – With the type of season that Yordan Alvarez is providing as the Astros, it is not surprising that the DH numbers are at the top of the AL stats. This is the type of dominant season, Astro fans have been waiting for from Yordan, and it puts him in great position for both All Star and MVP consideration.
C – The catching spot has been an offensive mess for the Astros this season. They were hopeful that Yainer Diaz would return to the positive offensive numbers of a couple years ago. He started the season very poorly but was just warming up when he went on the IL. Cristian Vazquez started off hot (in minimum playing time) but went cold as soon as he became the starter when Diaz was injured. Cesar Salazar and Colin Price have provided very little offense as the backup catcher. If Diaz can step in and get the bat going, this is a spot for potential improvement for the team.
1B – Christian Walker has been the main 1B, starting 71 of the 75 games they have played. He was super-hot in April across the board, but he has faltered in BA and OBP the last two months. But he has sustained his power stroke and overall, he is tied for fifth in HRs and is third in RBIs in the AL. It would really help if he could channel those April numbers going forward for the rest of the season.
2B – The majority of these numbers are from Jose Altuve, but with his stint on the IL, about a third of the starts have been by a combo of Brice Matthews, Nick Allen, Braden Shewmake and Isaac Paredes. None of these folks (including Altuve) are tearing the cover off the ball. Only Paredes has an OPS+ over the 100 (average) mark, and he has only started 3 games at second base. For improvement, Jose Altuve has to get on a roll. Other than 2020, the odd pandemic season, Altuve has never hit this poorly in any major league season – not even close. But perhaps at 36 years old – this is the new norm.
SS – Jeremy Pena has the majority of the starts at shortstop, though Carlos Correa had a significant amount of starts when Pena was on the IL. There is also a sprinkling of Nick Allen and Braden Shewmake in the numbers that make up this accumulation. The numbers to date are in the top half of the AL and would be expected to stay in that area as long as Pena is at the position.
3B – Carlos Correa was supposed to be the starting 3B for the season, but the season had barely begun when he had to fill in behind Pena, and then he headed to the IL for the season with his injury back in early May. Paredes has taken the lion share of starts at 3B this season with a few other games by the usual suspects. The solid top half of the AL numbers are due to above-average numbers from Correa and Paredes. If Paredes could hit another gear like he did in 2025, he could even raise these numbers a bit in the balance of 2025.
LF – Plenty of blame to go around here as seven different Astros have started seven or more games in LF. We will give Yordan Alvarez and his .955 OPS in his 11 starts in LF a pass, but Brice Matthews, Joey Loperfido, Zach Dezenzo, Zach Cole, Dustin Harris and Taylor Trammell have numbers that are only decent in the HR and RBI numbers. One thing that can help them here is if one of the young guys like Matthews or Loperfido figures it out. It probably does not help that no one is playing this spot with consistency.
CF – The normal starter is Jake Meyers, though Matthews and Trammell picked up quite a few starts when Meyers was on the IL. Meyers is a shadow of the solid hitter he showed in 2025. Matthews has been a poor hitter with occasional power. Trammell, for some reason, is hitting .350 in his 13 starts at CF. Maybe they should use Trammell more in CF if Meyers does not flash any more of that 2025 hitting, or just hand it to Matthews and see what the young guy can do.
RF – Cam Smith has started 68 of the 75 games in right field and came in for late inning defense in six of the other seven games. These stats are his – good, bad or indifferent….mostly below average. If Cam could channel some of that first half of 2025 goodness, this could improve. Cam is only 23. At this age George Springer was a year away from the majors (though he probably should not have been).
Overall, the Astros just do not have the firepower, especially in the outfield to have a consistent and deep offense. If some of their youth shows improvement that would help immensely, but that is a tough thing on which to hang your hat.
ALL THINGS ASTROS 
15 responses to “2026 Astros: Position by position”
I really want Pena to have a great second half. That makes him far more valuable to us this winter.
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I took a brief look at the Astros’ top second and first basemen, in the minors. It is scary and not good.
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Offense smoffense. You just need to a good enough offense to take advantage of opportunities. Don’t get me wrong, it helps if you can smash mediocre pitching to a non competitive game by the 4th inning, but its not how you win long term. The team that leads the league is runs scored this year is currently in 3rd place in their own division. But you have to get all the way to the 6th place team in runs allowed before you find a non-division leader, and they are second in their division.
It’s pitching, pitching, pitching. Always was, always will be. If Pena, Yordan, Paredes, and Walker all stay in the lineup, its not the Dodgers lineup, but they can find spots to erk out a good inning, take advantage of a misplay, and get 3 runs in the inning and win a game 5-3. You can score 9 in the first and still need to use your closer at the end if your pitching sucks.
The real problem with the Astros is non-competitive at bats. Too many guys in this lineup that just can’t put the ball in play or see 5-6 pitches most at bats. They can be frustrating to watch at times. Espada can’t even really expect them to consistently stretch a starter and maybe have a chance to get to a middle reliever enough times per week. Just too many games where the ball is going from starter to leverage. They have moments, but really game plans get executed on them more than they are the ones doing the executing. But thats what happens when you have double digit number of minimum wage guys at any given time. Espada doesn’t have 9 names to write in a lineup card that give good at bats. And when Altuve stops giving them, or Walker stops giving them, or Diaz, or Paredes, its really really really felt.
Obviously hindsight is what it is. But what I appreciate about this site is comments never disappear. The day Correa was traded for people like Rome celebrated and here we were, in the quiet little town of smallville, asking why commit so a large percentage of your resources for a injury prone player that has to switch positions and long term will end your chance to get real pitching in the offseason? And what happened? He got hurt. Season ending kind of hurt. And we signed and traded for a bunch of low cost pitching, except one big fish. You know, if Imai had worked out, and say right now he is 7-3 with a 3.25 ERA, this team would be knocking on Seattles door. That’s how close to competing they are. But it seems so far.
Let me end this with saying, thank goodness for Peter Lambert.
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I had an extra cup of coffee this morning in order to give you time to get your post up.
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Well thanks for letting me go first friend!
I can be a little long winded. Every post I make, I re-read 5 times with the intent to introduce brevity. It’s Dan’s super power as a writer, jam pack the information but do it in a format that doesn’t make you feel like its a book. All these years, still working on it!
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If you look at MLB’s team offensive stats, we’re pretty much middle of the road. I don’t know how I could be a fan of all those teams that really have bad team offensive stats, teams that don’t have a Yordan Alvarez. We’re just mediocre bad.
But regardless of what Joe pencils in tonight or tomorrow or next month, our 5 through 9 hitters really drag us down. Of course Jose or Yainer could have a solid second half and make that 5-9 group more likable. But I don’t think this team is going to find its footing offensively. I just don’t see potential hitters in the group.
So if we want to make that long, hard climb into post season contention over the next 85 games or so, we need a heck of a pitching rotation and an almost bullet proof pen to carry that mediocre offense. Plenty of compromised offensive teams have gone deep into the season on the backs of a great pitching staff with help from a solid defense. I think we can manage the defense, at least in the outfield and shortstop and first base. By the way, Issac’s Baseball Savant defensive stats have really fallen. 7% percentile in range and a 16 in arm strength.
But where do we get that heck of a pitching rotation and bullet proof pen? I just don’t have a solution for that. I don’t see an eight or ten game win streak from this group. So I can’t really envision the second half climb.
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The league batting average with 2 strikes is currently about .180. On the Astros, we have:
Alvarez: .286
Pena: .271
Vasquez: .200
Paredes: .196
Loperfido: .190
Diaz: .171
Smith: .161
Walker: .151
Altuve: .135
Meyers: .098
Matthews: .060
Yes, I’m cherry picking stats again, but I strongly feel the problem is we rely on other teams giving us baserunners and don’t get ourselves on. Look at those bottom three. Altuve has never been a good baserunner, but he isn’t a statue out there. Matthews and Meyers can both run. We need those guys on the bases. As it is, their positions are 11th, 12th, and 15th in the OBP rankings table up above for their positions. Espada and his coaches need to figure out a way to make those three guys more competitive with two strikes.
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Exactly. Comes down to quality at bats. Just don’t happen enough.
Yainer Diaz is a better hitter than Christian Vazquez. By the end of the year, Yainer probably ends up with decent average, double digit homers, while Vazquez will probably finish the year at .210, maybe even sub .200, and have minimal power.
But the thing is, I trust Vazquez. Bases loaded, 1 out, he comes up, he is going to really focus on just getting something in play. Yainer doesn’t seem to ever change his approach. Doesn’t matter situation, count, anything, its just, hit. So when he K’s on outside slider with a runner on third and 1 out, I want to throw my remote at him. It’s just silly. But you would be an idiot to actually play the .210 hitting catcher over the .270 catcher with power because of it.
It really makes me question things. Even when I played in high school and later in independent leagues when you went to take an important AB there was a coach letting you know here is the situation, here is what you need to at the minimum make happen. Is that happening? When I see guys challenging 2-0 pitches with no one on base, and lose one of our challenges, how involved is the staff? Some of these challenges have been ridiculous.
I can defend Espada and his staff to a point. If I’m just watching people that just aren’t able to execute, that good stuff fools them, or swing and miss is just what they do, ok. But when I watch bad challenges, terrible situational hitting, baserunning blunders, it makes me wonder.
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Steven, I keep hoping we can have a nice long friendly disagreement on some issue at some point, but it seems we’re pretty much on the same page most of the time.
Dana would have likely moved us both out by now.
Devin, sobering to see Altuve with a .135.
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A see a lot of our guys looking at a first pitch fastball down the middle and not swinging. I understand that but then they tend to swing at the next couple of pitches that are no where near the plate. Do you think that’s what opposing teams are telling their pitchers. Get that first strike and then be stingy with your next two or three pitches. I want to scream at our batters for playing right into the hands of the opposing team/pitchers.
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Zanuda, please check the last comment in the line.
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Prayers for Dan. Hope all is well.
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Tonight is our first most important game of the season.
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Yes, Dave, it’s a biggie for sure.
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ALERT! ALERT!
Hey friends, a quick note: Dan is in the ER south of Houston. Running tests. That’s what I know for now, he wanted you to know.
If you’re a praying person, I’d ask you to pray for Dan. His wife is with him.
I’ll pass along any updates, and I’ll have another post here shortly.
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