What I am thinking, and why you should care

This has been a crazy season for the Astros: they were as cold in the first third of the season as former 3B Alex Bregman always was, then had an Alex Bregman warm-weather improvement for the second third of the season. And now we are part of the way into the last third of the season, and the Astros are slowly sinking a bit.

It just feels like time for a thought brain dump from Dan P. The only reason you should care is that it should give you (our fine readers) plenty to chew on.

What I’m thinking:

• No surprise – but I think that not only is GM Dana Brown a lame duck with a contract that runs out at the end of the season, but he is a dead duck, who will not get renewed after the season. The trade deadline situation with owner Jim Crane reportedly vetoing a trade of reliever Bryan Abreu to the Twins for OF Trevor Larnach was unprecedented and seemed to signal a major disconnect in the front office.
• I think the Astros are teetering on the brink of falling back out of the playoff spot. After the sweep of the Rangers gave them a 2-1/2-game lead, they have lost two series in a row and have not seemed to be the same team they were before the disappointing trade deadline.
• I think the Astros’ starting pitching may well be what kills their chances in 2026. Hunter Brown and Peter Lambert are solid, but after that it is very shaky.
  • Hayden Wesneski has been a potential third starter since his return from the IL with a 3.86 ERA and averaging almost six innings in his two starts. But it is only two starts.
  • Ronel Blanco in four starts has a 6.98 ERA and is averaging less than five innings per start.
  • Cristian Javier, since being reinserted into the rotation, has averaged 5 1/2 innings per start, but with a 5.73 ERA.
  • Tatsuya Imai after putting up a 5.55 ERA and imploding on four of his 15 starts (1.1 innings or less) is now in the bullpen.
  • Mike Burrows, after an awful 5.99 ERA in his 17 starts, was sent to the minors and then stowed away on the IL.
  • Kai-Wei Teng and his 5.52 ERA in his 10 starts is down in the minors.
  • Spencer Arrighetti and Lance McCullers Jr. are gone with the wind in trades.

The Astros had depended on the “many” arms that could potentially start this year. But that depth has not resulted in the quality one would think would be needed in a pennant race.

• I’m thinking that it is very surprising that the Astros offense is performing so well compared to the rest of the AL – for instance, 550 runs scored is third highest in the AL. This is maybe more of a commentary on hitting throughout baseball than the Astros themselves. But being able to score that many runs while giving a lot of at bats to Christian Vazquez, Cam Smith, Brice Matthews, Jake Meyers, Joey Loperfido, Zach Dezenzo, Lamonte Wade Jr., Lucas Spence, Zach Cole, etc (all hitting .220 or less) is frankly remarkable.
• I’m thinking if this team does make the playoffs, it is going nowhere. I doubt their ability to hit against the premium pitching they will see and to get decent starting pitching.
• I’m thinking that the only reason the Astros may make the playoffs and may go fairly deep in the playoffs is the competition. Very mediocre.
• I’m thinking I am thinking too hard about things and need to just sit back and enjoy (or get enraged) every baseball day.

Whatcha thinking out there?