In the opening series against the Los Angeles Angels, the Houston Astros found themselves on the wrong side of some classic baseball fundamentals. It wasn't just a case of bad luck; it was about missing the mark in crucial areas like timely hitting, pitch execution, and lineup depth.
Thursday's 3-0 loss highlighted these issues. The Astros managed just three hits and failed to put any real pressure on Angels starter José Soriano.
Despite drawing a few walks and a promising double from Christian Walker in the seventh inning, the offense couldn't string together a rally. When Yordan Alvarez was pitched around, the rest of the lineup couldn’t capitalize, leading to a night of weak contact and strikeouts.
Friday's 6-2 defeat showed some improvement in terms of hitting the ball harder, with the Astros racking up eight hits and posting a slightly better expected batting average than the Angels. Alvarez homered, and both Carlos Correa and Jeremy Peña had multiple hits.
However, the hits didn’t come in the right sequence. Despite strong exit velocities, the results were scattered singles and fly balls, failing to impact the scoreboard.
On the pitching front, the Astros struggled to contain the Angels' top hitters. Mike Trout was a consistent threat, homering in both games and reaching base frequently.
The Astros' staff, known for limiting opponents' opportunities, couldn't stop the Angels from extending innings. On Friday, Josh Lowe and Zach Neto added to the damage with home runs, contributing to the Angels' 11-hit performance.
A developing concern for the Astros is their swing-and-miss rate. Key players like Cam Smith and Isaac Paredes struck out in crucial moments, and the lineup hasn’t shown the resilience needed to handle high velocity late in games. The Angels’ bullpen effectively exploited this, and the Astros struggled to adjust.
While it's early in the season, these first two games have exposed some vulnerabilities. The Astros are making hard contact but not consistently enough, and they're allowing too many pivotal moments to slip away. Against the Angels, this combination has proven costly.