Uncustomed Heroes of 2024: Astros

 

A little while before the playoffs, I wrote a post about the Dodgers and Astros having subpar quality teams for their regime, owing mostly to pitching injuries. The Astros were going with lesser seasons from most of their regulars, a shruggingly existent youth core, and a rotation of people getting by simply because they were the Astros. And I said that they didn't deserve being handed postseason glory again. 

The fact that in the early rungs of the postseason, the Dodgers were nearly eliminated and hit an incredible second wind to take it all while the Astros got bodied by the Tigers before October was really underway is honestly incredible. I was right about one of those teams, and it was the Astros. This was not the team, and they weren't gonna shove themselves into a playoff picture that had no room for them this year. 

Needless to say that worked for me. Didn't have to see teams struggle to figure out a team with obvious flaws. Breathed easier. 

So yes, the Astros' main issue this year was rotation injuries. Three of their usual weapons, Lance McCullers, Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy, were nowhere to be found this year, and another one, Cristian Javier, only started 7 games before his own injury. They were still good quality starts, but with 24 more of them this team doesn't have to go to Spencer Arrighetti, Jake Bloss or Yusei Kikuchi. Still, in 7 games, Javier had a 3-1 record and a 3.89 ERA. Hopefully whatever recovery he needs goes quickly, he's a pretty crucial part of this team's future with so many people leaving.

2025 Prediction: Some crucial starts in the second half. 

Mauricio Dubon has continued to be one of the most useful extra hands the Astros have. He didn't get as much of a starring role as he did last year with his month of filling in for Jose Altuve, but he was still extremely helpful, and was essentially the starting left fielder this year. In 137 games he hit .269 with 47 RBIs and some above-average defense, though not to the degree of his gold-glove 2023.

2025 Prediction: Something tells me he's gonna be one of the most called upon position players next year. Less people are sticking around, and the ones who are are older. He may be getting a ton more reps at 2nd next year.

After sending Martin Maldonado to a team that matches his mediocrity, the Astros got a new backup in Victor Caratini, who's made the postseason with practically every team he's ever played for, and has caught no-hitters from the best. Caratini, unsurprisingly, had another steady season there, and it was in fact his best statistical season to date, with a 1.3 WAR. In 87 games he hit .269 with 8 home runs and 30 RBIs, and was an above-average backstop. With Yainer Diaz being a more offense-friendly catching option, having Caratini as a backup that can play more often, and swap in at C to give Diaz a start at DH, is a great thing, and hopefully he'll deliver a similar season in 2025.

2025 Prediction: Diaz will get hurt, Caratini will need to start, and while he won't be 2024 good he'll be really competent, giving teams a nice preview for his free agency case.

Folks, in our 20th season of Justin Verlander, we finally landed upon a sight we'd rarely ever seen with the future Hall of Famer, and that is human, beatable JV. The veteran made 17 starts this year, and thanks to both injuries and his age, teams were able to figure him out more than usual this year. JV went 5-6 with a 5.48 ERA and 74 Ks. For the first time since his rookie year in 2005, Verlander ended the year with a negative WAR. Yet despite this, Verlander seems to have no plans to retire yet. He'll be 42 next year, and at the very least he'll be back from whatever injuries were holding him back this year. If anything, it's good for baseball if he does suit up for somebody.

2025 Prediction: 1 year deal with the Detroit Tigers. Not pretty but hangs 'em up with the team that made him a star. Will cross 3500 strikeouts.

I didn't understand the mentality that led to the Astros trading Joey Loperfido and Jake Bloss, two guys who were actually working their way toward aiding the Astros as they competed, and Will Wagner, someone who was league ready and would prove it in Toronto, for Yusei Kikuchi, who'd been terrible in his last ten starts and had established community with the team. And yet, because the Astros' GM always seems to know more than anyone else, this paid off: Kikuchi was wonderful in 10 starts with the Astros, going 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 76 Ks, more than Justin Verlander in nearly double the games. Between Kikuchi, Arrighetti, Brown and Valdez, the Astros really capitalized off of the strikeout this year. 

2025 Prediction: Kikuchi may be 34 this year, but he'll be eating well. I say he gets at least one nice year out of this Angels deal, and like Tyler Anderson it's not gonna be the first one.

Here's the oddest sight of the year for this team: Jason Heyward, who was very close to competing for a ring this year in LA, was cut in August and picked up by Houston, despite interest from Atlanta. And so we have this...very usual combination, this stage of Heyward's career and this stage of Astros baseball. J-Hey was okay for the 'Stros, he had 4 homers and 9 RBIs in 24 games, and this was a bit more energized than he was for the Dodgers, but he wasn't exactly a key contributor to the postseason team. 

2025 Prediction: Signs with a low-marker team with a lot of openings. Mentors some youth and does alright. Perhaps even Sacramento at this rate.

Coming Tomorrow- Speaking of Sacramento, a few extras from an A's team that outdid some expectations.