Everything old is new again. That’s how it felt anyway as the Astros opened the season this weekend and saw some old familiar faces providing the highlights. Out of the gate with a pair of losses to the Angels was disheartening, but 28 runs scored in the next three wins made up for it, that and a re-emergence of a once dominant pitcher. Yes, we know, it’s a very, very small sample size. Nevertheless, here are some thoughts so far.
The Old Guard Delivers
If you watched Monday night’s win over the Red Sox and thought you might be watching a replay from 2021, you aren’t alone. Jose Altuve had two homers. Yordan Alvarez jacked one too. Carlos Correa was turning all kinds of plays at shortstop. And Lance McCullers Jr. was on the mound and dealing 9 Ks in seven innings of work. It’s like they got the old band back together.
Altuve has looked sharp through five games with a keener eye for balls and strikes, and fewer wild swings than we are used to. Correa is, well, Correa in the field. Yordan is back and than god. But, McCullers is the most surprising. At the outset of Spring Training, there were questions on whether the Astros would cut him and the $16 million left on the final year of his deal. On Monday, he rolled back the clock and proved there is still gas in the tank.
Don’t Sleep on Youth Though
Interestingly enough, the Astros have mixed their veterans with an intriguing group of youngsters who have looked good so far. Cam Smith remains a stellar outfielder with power at the plate. Joey Loperfido, fresh off a year in Toronto, looks great against righties (still to be seen against left handers). A.J. Blubaugh has been terrific in relief, able to go multiple innings and getting plenty of swing and miss. And Brice Matthews went yard Monday night for the first time this year.
The combination of experience and youth is something the Astros will absolutely have to rely on this season. In the first week, the youth movement looked solid.
Welcome Back, Defense
For unexplained reasons, the Astros for the last couple of seasons have not been the defensive team we have come to expect. Age certainly could be a factor, but there is a good case to be made for just having solid players in the field at all times. Christian Walker (who looks like his swing is dialed in) is a Gold Glove winner at first for a reason. With Correa and Jeremy Peรฑa anchoring the left side of the infield, it feels like this is a team that can clamp down on D.
Then there is the outfield. No one questions Jake Meyers’ glove and Smith came on as a defensive spotlight in 2025. But, the addition of quality athletes like Loperfido and Matthews to the rotation makes them even better.
Welcome Back, Plate Discipline
Another issue that has crept in for the Astros the last two seasons is having a good eye at the plate. Too much free swinging and not enough extended at bats were a characteristic of the previous few squads that would have been unrecognizable to Astros teams prior to that. Enter 2026 and it feels different. Altuve leads the team (and is near the top of the league) in walks. Yes. Look it up.
There is a clearly different approach being taken by this lineup to swing at their pitches, not just any pitches. And they have more players in the lineup this year who employ patience at the plate than in the the last few seasons. Let’s hope that holds.
