The Astros’ slump has put them in an uncomfortable spot, and Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss to the Angels only sharpened the pressure. Houston dropped its third straight and fell to 5-8 since the MLB Trade Deadline, a stretch that has left the club sitting at .500 even while still holding first place.
For Joe Espada, the biggest concern was the same one that has nagged the team since the deadline: the offense. With Yordan Alvarez in the lineup and plenty of talent around him, Houston hasn’t produced enough lately, and the manager made it clear after the series opener that he wants more from the group as a whole.
"I think we have a good offense and we need contributions from everyone," Espada said via MLB.com. "I thought our bats got better toward the end of the game... We could've walked a few more times; I thought that we could get better at getting in better hitters' counts earlier in the game."
Espada also gave credit where it was due. Angels starter George Klassen worked the zone well and kept Houston uncomfortable from the start, limiting the Astros’ ability to settle in.
Cristian Javier had his own uneven night on the mound, but Espada saw signs of progress. Against the Padres in his previous outing, Javier was trying to reset, and on Tuesday he gave Houston four innings, allowed two runs and struck out five. The box score wasn’t eye-catching, but the manager liked the direction he was trending.
"His fastball was really good early; he got quite a few swing and misses. His pitch count drove up, some foul balls, but for the most part I thought he threw the ball well. It was a step in the right direction; I thought he threw the ball better than what the box score shows."
Houston still has work to do if it wants to make a push to the playoffs after missing the dance in 2025, and these are the kinds of games it has to take care of. Next up is Wednesday night, when Ethan Pecko is scheduled to make his Major League debut on the mound.
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