With a series split through two games against Seattle, the Houston Astros move to 63-61 on the season. Houston now holds a two-game lead over the Rangers (61-63) and a five-game lead over the Mariners (58-66) in the AL West. The division is right there for the taking, with Yordan Álvarez on an MVP arc and Josh Hader back in the saddle as the American League's most dominant closer.
Still, there's pressure aplenty in Houston, as the Astros have been in a slow-moving tailspin ever since Dusty Baker retired. We know the talent and the pedigree of Houston's stars, but the Astros missed the postseason a year ago. The only reason Houston even has a chance to win the division now — and perhaps go on a deep run — is because the American League has regressed across the board. The current third and final AL Wild Card team (Texas) is both sub-.500 and still within striking distance of a division crown. So, let's dive into the Astros who most need to step it up.
RHP Ronel Blanco
Houston basically ignored their pitching problems at the trade deadline, instead putting faith in a full slate of arms coming back from Tommy John surgery. Among them is 32-year-old Ronel Blanco, who's just two years removed from pitching 167.1 innings with a 2.80 ERA. Blanco has made five appearances (four starts) for Houston in 2026, with an inflated 7.71 ERA and 1.46 WHIP.
The expected metrics (5.43 xERA) aren't much better, as opponents are slugging .652 against Blanco's fastball. He can't seem to miss bats or command the strike zone, which ends up meaning he puts a lot of runners on-base and can't work out of jams.
The Astros were counting on Blanco (and other recent returnees, like Cristian Javier and Hayden Wesneski) to fortify what has been a weak rotation all season long. Hunter Brown and Peyton Lambert can only shoulder so much, especially once the playoffs arrive. Houston needs at least a quality third starter; the hope, still, is that Blanco can find some sort of rhythm before October.
RHP Tatsuya Imai
Tatsuya Imai was Houston's top pitching addition in free agency, a surprise late signing out of Japan for what, at the time, felt like a very modest three years and $54 million. As it turns out, Imai's faced a steep learning curve. He still has not fully settled into the rhythms of MLB, with a 5.29 ERA and 1.47 WHIP.
That said, on a team in need of postseason-caliber starting pitching, Imai was signed to provide just that. Houston has transitioned him into more of a bulk reliever role of late, and to his credit, Imai has performed well. He has six scoreless innings over his last two appearances. With 80 strikeouts in 64.2 innings on the campaign, there's no doubting the quality of Imai's stuff. The reverse slider is nasty and his fastball has a ton of life.
It's all about command and stamina for Imai, who has a 14.6 percent walk rate. He has battled injury and never pitched more than six innings. There's still time for Imai to build on his recent success and become something approximating the No. 2 or No 3 ace Houston thought it was signing many months ago. But the clock is ticking.
SS Jeremy Peña
It has been a rough month of August for Jeremy Peña, who's hitting .161 with a .533 OPS since the calendar flipped. He's 9-for-56 at the plate with 18 strikeouts, compared to only four walks. Peña's season-long numbers are obviously far better — an .815 OPS and 129 wRC+, with the third-most wins above replacement (2.8 fWAR) on the team — but so much of postseason success boils down to momentum. And right now, Peña's momentum is carrying him in the wrong direction.
Peña has always been very aggressive with his swings, willing and able to fish outside the zone and poke hits in every direction. Right now, however, it's probably best for Peña is dial it in, work deeper into counts, and embrace a more patient approach until he can get his feel back.
The Astros lineup simply is not deep enough to survive prolonged regression from Peña. He has long outperformed his metrics slightly, but a sharp downturn could spell doom for the Astros, who need somebody other than Álvarez to carry the torch on occasion.
2B Jose Altuve
Father Time is undefeated and it feels like Jose Altuve is fighting a losing battle these days. The 36-year-old second baseman and three-time batting champ is currently hitting a career-worst .245 at the plate (excluding the shortened 2020 COVID season). He's striking out at a career-high 20.1 percent clip, too. Altuve's smaller strike zone and compact swing were once his superpower. That is no longer the case.
He's not a terrible player by any stretch, with a respectable .704 OPS and 98 wRC+, but the Astros aren't paying Altuve $25 million AAV through 2029 — his age-39 season — for him to hover around league-average offensive impact, with the potential for even sharper decline in the years ahead.
To his credit, Altuve is on the other end of the spectrum, opposite the aforementioned Peña. He's heating up at the right time, with a .912 OPS and only four strikeouts in the month of August. The Astros could really use a couple months of vintage Altuve to round out the campaign. He clearly has gas left in the tank, although how much is a fair question.
If the Astros are going to win the division and potentially surprise some folks in the postseason, Altuve needs to be front and center with his usual big-moment heroics. If Altuve can't sustain his current production, Houston might be in trouble.
Add us as a preferred source on Google