The Astros have entered one of the softest parts of their schedule and it’s showing. They have rolled out to a two-and-a-half game lead over Seattle in the infinitely winnable AL West despite losing pitchers to injury like we lose our keys right when we need them, and still no Yordan Alvarez in the lineup.
It’s been a pretty wild week for a team that seems to be heading for yet another division title, so let’s recap.
Last Week Record: 5-2
This Week Opponents: White Sox (22-44), Twins (35-30)
Current Record: 36-29 (1st in AL West)
Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski Officially Done
This occurred right at the tail end of the previous week, but it is worth noting given the fact that the Astros replacements have been mostly minor leaguers with very little experience and Lance McCullers, Jr. Given that Spencer Arrighetti won’t return until probably around the All-Star break and it is wishful thinking to imagine Cristian Javier, J.P. France or Luis Garcia might make it back this season, it’s a conundrum. Yet, the Astros have managed to succeed without them.
The bright spot has been McCullers. Struggling early after two years out with injury, he has turned it around just when the Astros needed it. In his last two starts, McCullers has gone 10 innings, allowing just 3 runs (all against the A’s in a no decision) struck out 19 and walked only 2. He has 12 Ks in the A’s game and battled second-year phenom Paul Skenes with five shutout innings in Pittsburgh.
Yordan Alvarez Update
After what could only be classified as a borderline disastrous report that the hand which has kept Alvarez out of action for a month was actually a fracture, word from GM Dana Brown on Sunday was that the slugger could begin swinging again as early as this week. We’re not sure if this is a believable scenario given the previous, let’s call them, communication issues on Alvarez and the now infamous Kyle Tucker contusion-turned-broken-leg in 2024.
Make no mistake, the Astros need a healthy Yordan Alvarez in the lineup. This is a team that has improved from bottom of the league to middle of the pack at the plate since the beginning of May, but Alvarez radically changes the dynamic, nevermind adding a lefty bat to a lineup that has virtually none of those (despite having more left handed pitching than the team has had in the last five years combined – weird). The sooner they get him back, the better, but it must be a return that sticks for the rest of the season.
Jacob Melton Debuts
The Astros number two prospect launched his major league career last year and has been a fixture in the outfield since. If you care about such things, the combo of Melton, Cam Smith (leads the AL in outs above replacement) and Jake Meyers (yes, we said it) might be your outfield of the future, with Zach Dezenzo providing utility support. Melton made what probably should have been a five-star catch saving two runs over the weekend and his addition has turned this into one of the more athletic outfields in the American League.
At the plate, he’s looked like…a rookie. He’s hitting just 150 and 40 percent of his plate appearances have ended in strikeouts. But, he hasn’t been a high strikeout guy in his time in the minors and this is just a good reminder that the adjustment from Triple A to the majors includes a steep learning curve. Melton has all the tools to be a solid hitter in the bigs and he’s already a plus-plus defender in the outfield, a position that felt tenuous at best to start the season and now is as dynamic as you could want.
Forrest Whitley DFA’ed
The long, winding road of the former “best pitching prospect in baseball” appears to be over, at least with the Astros. After finally getting into a bullpen role with the team who drafted him way back in 2016 in the first round, his double-digit ERA in limited appearances was enough for the team to designate Whitley for assignment. If they are unable to trade him this week, he will go through waivers. It seems likely some team will take a chance on Whitley even though they would have to add him to their 40-man roster to do so. For the Astros, if he clears waivers, he would be outrighted to Sugar Land and they would be freed from carrying him at the big league level.
It’s an incredible fall for a player who has gone through so many ups and downs in a single organization. Even he admitted in interviews earlier this season that this felt like his last chance. In terms of his future in Houston, it appears it was.
