Should Astros Fans Start to Hit the Panic Button?
The Houston Astros went into this season with great expectations, hoping to win their second World Series trophy in the previous three seasons after making an ALCS appearance in 2023. Following a successful offseason in which the Astros signed the best free agent closer, Josh Hader, to a five-year deal and re-signed superstar second baseman Jose Altuve to an extension, many predicted the Astros as their favorites to win the World Series again. However, through the first two weeks, things have not gone according to plan for Houston as they have gotten off to a slow start in 2024. The Astros concluded a four-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday afternoon with Houston losing 13-3 after giving up nine runs in the first inning. With a 4-10 record, the Astros are currently in last place in the AL West after dropping their third consecutive game. Following two consecutive blowout losses to the Royals, Astros fans have various reasons to be concerned about their team’s current poor performance to start the season.
Despite the consistent hitting from Altuve, who holds a team-leading .370 batting average, .648 slugging percentage, three home runs, and three RBIs, the Astros’ struggles hitting the baseball has played a major role in their inability to get out of the gates fast. The Astros are ranked fifth in batting average (.266), 15th in runs scored (55), and in runs batted in (52), after 14 games played. Only four times this season have the Astros scored four or more runs in a game, indicating that they have failed to produce runs despite their high batting average. Due to a number of players on the roster having a slow start, Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Yainer Diaz have had to shoulder the majority of the offensive output thus far. The Astros' pitching rotation has struggled to produce reliable starts, which has resulted in the Houston offense needing to score five runs or more in order to win games thus far. The Astros pitching staff is currently ranked second in earned runs (69), 19th in strikeouts (100), and 28th in ERA (5.09). Through the first two weeks of play, the team has allowed five or more runs in eight games.
After the Astros were swept by the Royals on Thursday, manager Joe Espada voiced confidence about the team's future prospects despite the team's problems to get out to a strong start. "We've been tested early, and this team has been tested before," Espada said, adding, "This is going to make us better. It's hard to swallow those losses, but I have faith in that group in there. We'll figure it out. When things are just not going your way, that's the stuff that happens." The Astros will play the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves in their challenging six-game homestand on Friday in an attempt to flip the team's fortunes as quickly as possible.
