ChipalattAwards for July 2026

The Astros were 13-10 in July, including a 9-1 run at the end of the month that gave them a 0.5-game lead in the AL West.

How do the Astros’ stats look vs. the other teams in the American League in July?

• Offense
  • .251 BA (4^th) / .327 OBP (3^rd) / .763 OPS (2^nd) / 119 runs (3^rd) /  38 HRs  (1^st) / 9 SBs (12^th)
• Pitching
  • 4.41ERA (13^th) / 13 Wins (T-7^th) / 1.34 WHIP (12^th) / 215 Ks (T-6^th) / 93 walks (2^nd most) / HR (33 5^th most)

The team rode a much better offensive performance in July to carry a shaky pitching performance that was frankly more of a starting pitching problem than a bullpen problem.

But enough of the team stuff. How did the individuals do in July?

Here is a quick stat chart of the Astros’ pitchers in July.

Name	Gm	W	L	Svs	IP	ERA	WHIP	Ks/9 IP	BAA	OBPA	OPSA	BAbip	IR/ IS
Mike Burrows	1	0	1	0	4.1	14.54	2.539	6.2	.391	.440	1.179	.389	N/A
Hunter Brown	5	2	1	0	27.1	4.94	1.390	7.6	.217	.342	.713	.239	N/A
Peter Lambert	5	2	0	0	28.2	1.88	1.047	10	.204	.277	.537	.280	N/A
Tatsuya Imai	4	1	1	0	11.2	7.71	2.400	10.2	.283	.444	.988	.323	N/A
Spencer Arrighetti	4	0	1	0	16	7.31	1.563	6.8	.214	.378	.807	.209	N/A
Ronel Blanco	2	0	1	0	10	8.10	1.200	10.8	.171	.293	.836	.105	N/A
Hayden Wesneski	1	1	0	0	5.2	4.76	1.588	6.4	.333	.417	.845	.412	N/A
Cristian Javier	5	1	0	0	12	3.00	1.417	12.8	.234	.321	.746	.345	0/0
Kai-Wei Teng	2	1	0	0	4.1	4.15	1.154	8.3	.200	.429	.695	.273	0/0
Josh Hader	11	0	0	6	9	2.00	1.44	12	.229	.325	.582	.348	2/0
Enyel De Los Santos	12	1	1	0	13	2.77	1.154	9.7	.250	.294	.627	.333	4/1
Bryan King	9	0	2	0	9.2	9.31	1.966	7.4	.378	.417	1.172	.375	3/1
Steven Okert	12	3	1	0	12.1	1.46	0.649	11.7	.186	.200	.526	.259	3/0
Bryan Abreu	10	0	0	2	11	1.64	0.818	11.5	.158	.220	.509	.217	1/0
A.J. Blubaugh	8	0	0	0	14.2	4.30	1.227	12.3	.259	.302	.802	.314	7/3
Bennett Sousa	5	0	0	0	4.2	0.00	0.643	5.8	.177	.177	.412	.214	3/0
Alimber Santa	2	0	0	0	2.2	3.38	1.500	3.4	.300	.333	.933	.222	3/2
Nate Pearson	5	1	0	0	5	3.60	1.400	5.4	.143	.400	.543	.182	0/0
Miguel Ullola	2	0	0	0	3	9.00	1.000	9.0	.182	.250	.977	.250	0/0

Note – I added the IR (Inherited runners) / IS (Inherited runners who scored) stat for the relievers.

• Starting Pitcher of the Month.  Peter Lambert – Lambert won this running away as he was really the only starting pitcher who put up above average numbers across the board.
• Runner-up. Hunter Brown – He takes this almost by default when you look at Burrows (14.54 ERA), Imai (7.71 ERA), Arrighetti (7.31) and Blanco (8.10). But Hunter actually turned things around after struggling upon his return from the IL, winning his last two starts in July and giving up 2 runs in 12.2 innings.
• Last Month Starting Pitcher of the Month – Peter Lambert / Runner-up – Hunter Brown  
• Special Acknowledgment – Hayden Wesneski – Wesneski bulldogged his way through 5.2 innings and a win in his first start back from Tommy John surgery. He gave up 3 runs in the first and then showed a lot of guts to extend his outing and save the bullpen.

• Relief Pitcher of the Month (Tie) –  Steven Okert and Bryan Abreu – Okert (1.46 ERA) and Abreu (1.64 ERA) were the two biggest anchors for the set-up men. Abreu was pitching like he had not pitched since before Hader got injured in 2025.
• Runner-up  –  Josh Hader – He was excellent again in July.
• Last Month Relief Pitcher of the Month – Josh Hader / Runner-up – Tie – Steven Okert / Bryan King
• Special Acknowledgment – Bennett Sousa returned from the IL and had 5 scoreless appearances.

Here is a quick stat chart of the Astros’ position players in the month of July.

Name	ABs	Runs	Dbls	HRs	RBIs	BBs	Ks	BA	OBP	OPS	BAbip
Isaac Paredes	89	9	2	4	15	10	11	.281	.375	.836	.280
Jose Altuve	92	12	2	4	8	4	21	.228	.260	.663	.254
Jeremy Pena	63	17	2	6	13	2	14	.381	.412	1.110	.409
Christian Walker	72	9	4	3	7	6	27	.208	.305	.694	.286
Cam Smith	70	9	2	2	6	5	17	.143	.218	.504	.154
Yordan Alvarez	85	15	4	9	22	17	18	.361	.467	1.188	.367
Yainer Diaz	61	12	2	5	9	2	9	.295	.318	.891	.277
Jake Meyers	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
Joey Loperfido	3	0	0	0	1	0	2	.333	.333	.667	1.000
Brice Matthews	16	4	0	1	4	2	3	.250	.333	.771	.250
Christian Vazquez	32	1	1	1	4	2	11	.219	.257	.601	.286
Taylor Trammell	44	7	1	2	3	5	15	.182	.294	.635	.222
Nick Allen	28	4	2	0	6	2	5	.321	.355	.748	.375
Ray Delgado	5	0	0	0	0	0	1	.200	.200	.400	.250
Lamonte Wade Jr	51	8	1	1	8	13	15	.137	.313	.528	.171
Lucas Spence	37	4	1	0	3	3	15	.162	.244	.433	.273
Zach Dezenzo	26	6	0	0	1	3	9	.280	.357	.637	.438
Braden Shewmake	11	4	2	0	2	0	3	.364	.333	.879	.444
Jake Meyers	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000

• Positional Player of the Month (Tie) –  Jeremy Pena and Yordan Alvarez – The two players at the top of the lineup were a powerhouse one-two punch in July. How do you pick between Pena (.381 BA/ .412 OBP/ 1.110 OPS) and Alvarez (.361 BA/ .467 OBP/ 1.188 OPS)? You don’t – thus the tie.
• Runner-up (Tie) – Isaac Paredes and Yainer Diaz – Paredes gave Yordan needed protection behind him in the lineup. Diaz picked up the pace and gave the team a little bit of pop farther down in the lineup.
• Special Acknowledgement – Small sample, but Nick Allen hit .321 in July. Who would have thunk it?
• Last Positional Player of the Month – Yordan Alvarez / Runner-up – Jeremy Pena
• Biggest Surprise (Positive) –   Bryan Abreu – He went from totally lost to a high leverage reliever.
• Runner-up  – Bennett Sousa – Quietly came off the IL and was very effective.
• Last Biggest Surprise (Positive) – Ray Delgado / Runner-up – A.J. Blubaugh
• Biggest Disappointment –  Pick a starter – Burrows, Imai, Blanco….
• Runner-up –  Cam Smith – this guy has too much talent to hit .143 for a month. It looks like he found a different gear here in August. Bryan King is right there too – but I think his problem was over-use.
• Last Biggest Disappointment – Jake Meyers/ Runner-up – Jose Altuve

Some Comments on July

There are some interesting and puzzling things that happened to the Astros in July 2026:

• What is a worse OBP – .260 coming from Jose Altuve or .218 coming from Cam Smith?
• Brice Matthews slash in July was .250 BA/ .333 OBP / .771 OPS – just before he went on the IL. Was he figuring something out?
• Enyel De Los Santos looks a lot worse than his 2.77 ERA. I guess he is used a lot so he does give up a run here or there and it stands out.
• How the heck did this team have a winning record in July with so many terrible performances by the starting pitching? As Yul Brynner said in the King and I – it is a puzzlement.

As usual, it is your turn to comment. Any awards you disagree with? Any new ones you want to award?