The Houston Astros are making their way back up the board at just the right time.
With September here and the postseason push fully on, Houston has steadied itself after a rough home series loss to the Athletics. Since then, the Astros have mostly handled quality opponents and started to rebuild some momentum in a stretch that could shape the rest of their season.
That turnaround included a 4-2 road trip in New York against the Yankees and Mets, followed by taking three of four from the Chicago White Sox at home. Now the Astros are in position to win their series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Friday’s victory over Arizona pushed them to a season-high four games over .500.
The timing matters. Houston also stretched its division lead to three games over the Texas Rangers, giving the club a little more breathing room in the AL West as the final weeks begin to take shape.
ESPN’s latest MLB power rankings reflected that recent surge. The Astros came in at No. 13 in the first September edition, moving up two spots from their August ranking. They were the sixth American League team on the list, sitting just behind the Cleveland Guardians.
If Houston keeps stacking wins, that could change quickly. The Astros have gone 8-4 over their last 12 games and had won seven of their last 10 after the White Sox series.
They’re also still within reach of the No. 2 seed in the American League, thanks in part to the way they’ve handled teams with winning records. In those matchups, Houston’s win percentage is well over .600.
That run has come even after the club parted ways with general manager Dana Brown following the series loss to the A’s, then went into the Bronx and took two of three from the Yankees.
The ESPN writeup on Houston also focused on Yordan Alvarez and his Triple Crown chase. The piece called him a "heavy favorite to win AL MVP", and noted that the Triple Crown would be the first in baseball since Miguel Cabrera in 2012.
That pursuit has already changed. Junior Caminero has moved ahead of Alvarez for the AL home run lead with 38, while Alvarez has 37. If the Astros want to finish the regular season strong and lock down the division, Alvarez will need to heat up again.
And if that happens, Houston’s climb in the rankings may not be done yet.
In Other News...
Astros Bullpen Suddenly Has A Late-Inning Problem At The Worst Time
The Astros lost another important bullpen arm this week when Steven Okert went on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Sept. 1 with a right hamstring strain. Okert has been a key piece of Houstons relief mix this season, and the timing is rough for a club trying to steady late innings as the schedule tightens.
Houston now has to lean more heavily on the rest of its relief group, with AJ Blubaugh and Bennett Sousa among the pitchers expected to take on a bigger share of the load. Okert is projected to be out until at least Sept. 16, leaving the Astros to patch together some of the innings that often decide close games. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Bullpen Shuffle Could Say A Lot About This Road Trip
The Astros made another bullpen move before facing the Diamondbacks, optioning Kai-Wei Teng to Triple-A Sugar Land and bringing back Miguel Ullola to give the relief group a fresh arm. It is the kind of late-season shuffle contenders make when every outing starts to matter a little more, especially for a club still sitting atop the AL West and trying to keep its October path clean.
Ullola is back in the majors after last pitching on Aug. 18, while Teng heads back down after struggling in recent appearances. Houstons bullpen has been a moving target on this road trip, and with the magic number down to 17, the next few decisions may say plenty about how the Astros plan to manage both the standings and the workload that comes with them. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremy Pea's Slump Is Becoming A Real Astros Problem
Jeremy Pena looked like he had turned a corner in July, when he was driving the ball, getting on base and giving the Astros the kind of spark they need near the top of the lineup. He finished that month batting .381 with a .412 on-base percentage and a 1.110 OPS, and he added six home runs while looking like one of Houstons most dangerous hitters.
Since Aug. 3, though, the picture has changed sharply. Pena has batted .161 over 29 games, and the strikeouts have climbed as his overall production has faded, right as Houstons run output has also taken a step back. For a club that leans on his bat to help set the tone, the slump has become more than a rough stretch - it is starting to show up in the offense around him. [Read more 🡒]