Uncustomed Heroes of 2025: Astros

 

For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros failed to make the playoffs. What a great thing to say after all the hell they've put me through. Stealing signs, making it to the end every year, beating both my teams, not getting penalized enough. And this year, they finish 87-75, after being one of the best teams in the AL during the middle months, and are taken out in the final moments of the season by a Tigers win. They absolutely collapsed in August and September, and saw the Mariners overtake them for the division and go deeper than they could have. It was, in a word, satisfying.

Now, would this have happened if the big pieces hadn't gotten injured? Maybe. You also have to remember that Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman left, and more might be leaving this offseason. And knowing how the Astros handled Tucker's injury last year, by downplaying it to the point of inaccurately leading fans on, seeing them do it again this year with Yordan Alvarez just confirms how much of a sinking ship this team is now. Plugging Jose Altuve into left field while giving his position to Brendan Rodgers, then getting confused when that doesn't work, and then panicking when Cooper Hummel sucks in left as well and Jesus Sanchez hits .199 there. MAYBE YOU SHOULDN'T PISS OFF YOUR LEFT FIELDER. He's gonna be making lots of money this offseason, as well Bregman, and if you'd have actually stayed on good terms with them it'd be for your team! Jeez!

Anyway, Yordan Alvarez only played 48 games this year, because he got hurt early, the injury was downplayed, he came back after the All-Star break and then got hurt again. So much is said about how well the Astros builds their organization, but not enough is said about how terribly they treat players once they're up. This could have been avoided, man. 

Alvy's year was...I mean I guess it was fine, for 48 games. Hit .273, 27 RBIs and only 6 homers. I reckon if he stays healthy and isn't screwed over by the team, they win that 88th game.

2026 Prediction: 2025 was the only full season of Alvarez's career that didn't give him over 30 homers. Next year will ensure this stays the case. An All-Star nod to follow.

Something else the Astros really don't like talking about is that since Yuli Gurriel left, they've had the absolute worst luck at 1st base. Similar to the Mariners' black hole at 2nd, the Astros have fired sure thing after sure thing into that position and they've all struggled. Trey Mancini gutter-balled, then Jose Abreu burned millions on a deal that could have gotten them the stars. And now it's Christian Walker's turn. The former Diamondback signed a pretty cool deal last offseason, for 3 years and 60 million, and the Astros must have forgotten the small detail that Walker was 33 when he signed it. This season was...certainly a season of baseball played by a 34-year-old. Despite barely missing any time, Walker was shockingly average, with the first under-average defensive work of his career, a negligible WAR figure and a career high 177 Ks. Granted, Walker also hit 27 homers and had 88 RBIs [the team leader in both!], but this was not his best work. He'd lost a dimension or so, and that's not what the Astros signed.

2026 Prediction: I'd like to think there's an improvement, but he'll be 35, and he's no Paul Goldschmidt. So there may be more of the same. The power numbers will be the same though.

After a phenomenal 2024, Ronel Blanco was one of several Houston starters, including Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers, Spencer Arrighetti, Luis Garcia, J.P. France and Hayden Wesneski, to miss copious amounts of playing time this year. I think of that group, Blanco had the best sample size, and quality, while he was healthy, with a 4.10 ERA and 48 Ks in 9 starts. Unfortunately, the injury came right after I picked him up in fantasy, and that was his season.

2026 Prediction: Um...something tells me Hunter Brown might not make all his starts. So I figure Blanco will at least be healthy enough to make up the work for him. A much better season, if not 2024-first-half levels.

For the second time with Houston, Mauricio Dubon won a gold glove as a utility infielder. For someone who struggled to find a place with both the Brewers and Giants, it's been very cool to see Dubon come into his own as a super-ute, and in a year with SO MANY INFIELD INJURIES, there was no shortage of playing time for the guy. And of course, Dubon was exceptional in the field, with a 17 fWAR figure, and the occasional contact moment as well. Even if so much is in disarray for this team, the Astros can still rely on Dubon, which is fantastic [I drafted this in early November]. 

2026 Prediction: WELL APPARENTLY THE ASTROS DON'T NEED HIM THAT BADLY ANYMORE. I honestly think Atlanta's a great place for him. He can play the infield on a daily basis or be a utility piece like in Houston. Plus, with all the injury turnaround they might need him a lot.

Victor Caratini has become one of the more respected backup catchers in the game, alongside Austin Hedges and Jacob Stallings. Unlike those guys, Caratini was able to hit this year. In 114 games, Caratini hit .259 with 46 RBIs and 12 homers, which, in this cursed year, was the 6th most on the Astros. Caratini's a very good guy to have around, and he's found a nice home in Houston.

2026 Prediction: Houston re-signs him, he becomes defacto starter midyear, does well.

So here's the story with Brandon Walter. Dude went to UDel, was drafted by the Sox, mostly minor league guy, gets a taste in 2023. Keeps kicking around, gets cut by the Sox, the Astros pick him up. This year, due to the lack of healthy options, Walter, at 28, gets a shot, and does well in a starting role. In 9 games, he has a 3.35 ERA, 52 Ks, and a 1.3 WAR. Then he gets hurt and is out for the rest of the year. Not sure who's unluckier, him or the Astros.

2026 Prediction: Even if he does come back, he's like ninth in the depth chart. I see him mostly as a triple-A guy.

So then after that, with little to no other healthy options, the Astros go with career swingman Jason Alexander, brother of Scott and not, as previously assumed, the star of 'Dunston Checks In'. Alexander began the year as a middle relief guy in Sacramento, and after one too many heckle of 'SERENITY NOW' from one of the dozens of people in attendance, he was cut and picked up by Houston. Where he soon found himself...starting games. In all honesty, for a while Alexander was one of the Astros' best players. From July 29th to September 15th, all of Alexander's starts culminated in wins, only allowing a high of three runs in any of them. Of course, then he got clobbered by Seattle, and there went the 1st place hopes, but Alexander still finished the year with a 4-2 record and a 3.66 ERA.

2026 Prediction: Well, he SHOULD be kept as a long man and relief piece, but with the injury turnover in Houston who even knows at this point? You know we're LIVING IN A SOCIETY.

Aside from nabbing Carlos Correa at the deadline, the Astros also tried to solve their left field issue by bringing in Jesus Sanchez, who'd been good, if not world-destroying, for Miami. Sanchez had some high highs, with 12 RBIs and 4 homers in 48 games, but the .199 average, despite some decent defense, made it more of a puzzling add. Sanchez is fundamentally a good player, but he couldn't meet this moment for the Astros.

2026 Prediction: I think he mellows out a produces a better full-season effort but he still has the potential to be a Dan-Vogelbach-sized thorn in the side of a fanbase who are expecting the world of him.

With Chas McCormick no longer an option and Jake Meyers oft-injured, the Astros brought up Zach Cole to potentially be the next great Astros outfielder. In 15 games, Cole hit .255 with 11 RBIs and 4 homers. He's got a high contact ceiling and hit over .300 with the Space Cowboys. Might be something here.

2026 Prediction: If the Astros don't deal him for Brendan Donovan or somebody like that, he makes his way up the depth chart and is the next Kyle Tucker, something the Astros desperately need.

And most surprisingly, the Astros brought in Craig Kimbrel after he proved he was useful, if low on options, for the Braves. Kimbrel is 37, and I think he just needs some seasons out of the spotlight, a lot like Aroldis Chapman, so he can find himself again. In 13 games, Kimbrel had a 2.45 ERA and 16 Ks. Not as poisonous as his Orioles or Phils numbers, and a lower key year. I'm not sure if this is the last we'll see of Kimbrel in the bigs, but at least if that's the case he doesn't go out completely undignified. 

2026 Prediction: I think he makes camp with somebody, has some middle relief appearances and one last save. And then hangs it up.

Coming Tomorrow- The A's didn't make the playoffs either, but at least I can see what direction they're headed.

Who's Left?

 

It's weird looking at the Opening Day lineup for the Marlins now, because it just looks like a team that doesn't even exist anymore. It feels like it could have been from last year. Oh, remember when Josh Bell, Avisail Garcia, Jazz Chisholm, Trevor Rogers and Nick Gordon were on this team? Yeah, it was just a couple months ago. And it didn't work.

Right now, some of the only remaining Marlins from the April iteration of this team include Jesus Sanchez, who has 17 home runs and 51 RBIs, Nick Fortes, who wasn't exactly being relied upon for his bat anyhow, Jake Burger, who at the very least will finish with a 25+ homer year, and Edward Cabrera, who's been really strong in his last few starts. Everything else has been filled by replacement players, rookies and anyone who needed a job. There are some promising young guys on this team, like Valente Bellozo, Griffin Conine and Connor Corby, but next year the Marlins will likely rival the White Sox in terms of pure ineptitude. 

But, just so we have this for science, let's see how some of the people who left the Marlins this year are doing:

Josh Bell: As a sturdy fill-in for Christian Walker, Bell definitely has his mojo back, hitting .283 with 4 homers and 15 RBIs since coming over. 

Emmanuel Rivera: In only a week with the Baltimore Orioles, the former extra infield piece is hitting .286 with 5 RBIs and a homer. For a backup infielder for a competitor, that ain't bad, and he could factor into the postseason roster.

Jazz Chisholm Jr.: Chisholm has taken like a fish to water in New York, hitting .333 with 15 RBIs and 9 homers in 24 games. The extra spark that seemed to be missing from his Marlins numbers is all over these Yanks stats.

Bryan de la Cruz: It hasn't been as pretty as some of these other guys, but with the Pirates de la Cruz has, at the very least, been a nice source of power, with 12 RBIs and a homer in 26 games.

Luis Arraez: Regardless of his thumb issue, the veteran contact hitter still leads the NL in hits with 171, and in average with .310. The Padres will be using his effortless hitting abilities heading into a likely playoff scenario.

Christian Bethancourt: After hitting .159 in 38 games in Miami, Bethancourt somehow went on a tear in Chicago, hitting .387 with 3 homers and 15 RBIs. No one knows how this has happened. Not even Bethancourt.

Trevor Rogers: eh...we can skip him.

Tanner Scott: In 16 games with the Padres, Scott has a 2.40 ERA with 17 Ks and 2 saves. It's a solid progression of an already excellent season for the former Marlins chief relief specialist.

Bryan Hoeing: Similarly, the other reliever in that deal has a 1.13 ERA and 13 Ks in 11 games. So they did well all around.

A.J. Puk: This is the most insane one to me. Cause Puk struggled in the first half, both as a starter and just in general. So he heats up after returning to relief work. The Marlins trade him to Arizona. And once he gets there, he sports a 0.61 ERA in 17 games, meaning he's given up ONE EARNED RUN in that time, plus 22 strikeouts. This is incredible. All it took was getting out of Miami.

I really hope the Marlins can improve as a full unit next year, because this just got depressing after a while. The White Sox at least have Garrett Crochet. The Marlins have...like...people coming back from injuries, but...will they WANT to?

Coming Tomorrow- We're waiting to see if this season will have a twenty-game winner, but we definitely have a guy who's pitched in 20 straight losses.

One Team, Multiple Jesuses

 

Luis Arraez: 4.5 WAR

Marlins Named Jesus: 4.7 WAR.

Need I say more?

I...I probably should say some more things. 

The Marlins have caught fire in September, began the month with a six-game winning streak, and did their absolute best to draw attention to that rather than the debilitating losses they've received at the hands of two teams, the Dodgers and Brewers, who will be winning divisions this year.

I am thoroughly impressed with the full team effort that's cropped up in Miami this year. After last year, when the Marlins got rid of Brian Anderson, Miguel Rojas and Pablo Lopez, I thought it would be harder for things to bubble up after that. Slowly, the ensemble effort formed. For one, it's becoming clear that Kim Ng's insistence on including Jesus Luzardo in the Starling Marte deal was a crucial one, as Luzardo has been a very big part of this Marlins team, leading the team in strikeouts with 186 and in wins with 9. In this period without Sandy Alcantara, there will be more reliance on Luzardo, and he's still definitely in his prime, and can brush off the odd weak start and still give you consistency. Braxon Garrett, Eury Perez and Edward Cabrera have been similarly impressive this year, and the rotation is a solid young group effort that I was worried would be tarnished without Trevor Rogers.

As for the other Jesus, Jesus Sanchez has been having a great season after a couple years of learning the ropes. Sanchez has a .266 average, 49 RBIs, 13 homers and an .809 OPS. It's production that took a bit longer than expected but has been worth the weight. Right now, the Marlins have Sanchez, Jazz Chisholm, Luis Arraez, Jake Burger, Josh Bell, Dane Myers and, somehow, Xavier Edwards, all hitting well. The power gambit of Bell and Burger has paid off handsomely, there's 34 RBIs and 15 homers between them. Jon Berti's only stolen 14 bases this year but Jazz Chisholm has 19, so they'll be alright long-term. This is an immensely varied and versatile team that could have a great deal to build on as they work on repeating if this year goes well.

And while 2023's playoff admittance is still an 'if' for the Marlins, their September has already brought them back towards the center of the wild card race, as they're only 1.5 games behind the last spot. It will not be easy, and even if one team is beginning to pull away, the Marlins cannot have this stretch break their extremely strong season. I'd love to see this team advance, even if I know that the hardest work is yet to be done.

Coming Tonight: One of several really impressive relievers out of Detroit this year.

Uncustomed Heroes of 2021: Marlins

 

As we figured, the Miami Marlins did not make the playoffs in 2021. It wasn't the fault of returning the playoffs to a normal setup, though- the Marlins just faltered under the weight of the top 3 teams in the NL East, and struggled to recapture the 2020 magic. 

One of the victims of this season of diminishing returns was Brian Anderson. After three consecutive great seasons, and a team-lifting one last year, a mixture of injuries and batting woes left Anderson with a 1.3 WAR on the season, a .249 Average and 58 hits in 67 games. If there weren't strong figures like Miguel Rojas on this team, I'd be more worried by a letdown like this, but it's a very concerning sign.

2022 Prediction: An improvement, but only to an extent. The Marlins are gonna have to figure out what to do with him next year.

How chaotic is this- the entire starting outfield for the Marlins, which was Starling Marte, Adam Duvall and Corey Dickerson, got traded halfway through the year. Which, logically, would leave Garrett Cooper, who was hitting .284 with 33 RBIs and 9 homers in 71 games. However, Cooper gets injured soon thereafter, leaving the team with zero tested Opening Day outfielders.

2022 Prediction: A similar role as the fourth OF and bench piece, but this one will be a little less injury prone. And with all the potential swing IF/OF guys next year, like Anderson and Joey Wendle, he might have a prime season with a lot of playing time.

With all the injuries going to young Marlins pitchers, it helped to have Elieser Hernandez coming in partway through again to provide something of insurance. This year he had a 4.18 ERA with 53 Ks in 11 games, then got injured and left it to the kids yet again.

2022 Prediction: Either he finds a solid place in this rotation or he's cut/traded and lands somewhere that can utilize him properly.

After Yimi Garcia was traded to Houston, the ninth went to former Dodgers reliever Dylan Floro. Floro was already doing great in middle relief, and by the end of the year, with 15 saves, he had a 2.81 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 68 appearances. Great sign of durable relief with versatility, something abundant in the 2020 team that seemed a bit more sparse this year.

2022 Prediction: Spends the whole year working the ninth, and even with a higher WAR and more mistakes he does a decent enough job of it.

After the aforementioned OF blowout of July, one of the prime OF starters was Jesus Sanchez, a guy who was a rookie late in 2020 season. In 62 games, Sanchez hit .241 with 36 RBIs and 14 homers, some sharp power numbers in that amount of time. Between him and Bryan de la Cruz, as well as Avisail Garcia, the 2021 Marlins outfield might be a really power-heavy one.

2022 Prediction: Starts 150 games and becomes a new pillar of the new era of the team in, I'm assuming, Brian Anderson's absence. 

As for the other Jesus, Jesus Luzardo came in on the trade that brought Starling Marte to Oakland. Luzardo has been hyped ever since arriving in the bigs in 2019, but hasn't entirely convinced people he's worth that hype. In 12 Miami starts, Luzardo had a 6.44 ER and a 4-5 record. A bit too human, even for a 23-year-old.

2022 Prediction: An improvement, one that may involve some time in the bullpen.

Tomorrow, a surprisingly small amount of Mets. Usually I have around a dozen.

2020 Topps Final Edition: Card #199-207

 Today, we reach the 200-card-marker of this set. I've been plugging these in since February, and now in early May we get to card 200. Not bad at all. Hope you guys are still enjoying the set. 

Here are the next 9 cards, including the hero card.

#199- Brandon Lowe ASG, Tampa Bay Rays

In a season where D.J. LeMahieu, Cesar Hernandez and Nick Madrigal all would have racked up votes, Brandon Lowe would have been the starting 2nd baseman of the AL team if the 2020 All Star Game had happened. Putting the 2020 season into context, it shouldn't be much of a shocker- Lowe had an incredible sophomore season, being among the chief difference-makers for the Rays, and leading them to a World Series. While Lowe's numbers have been a bit more human so far, he's still healthy and relatively reliable right now in a slightly thinner roster climate.

Card #200- Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies

Phillies fans had been waiting a few years for Alec Bohm to hit the majors, especially after his impressive minor league numbers in Lehigh Valley and Reading. Midway through the 2020 season, Bohm hit Philly, and in 44 games, hit .338 with 23 RBIs, finishing 2nd in the Rookie of the Year voting to Devin Williams. He established himself as a strong option at third almost immediately, and gave the fans confidence that is fraying now that Bohm seems resigned to hitting around .200 this year. 

Card #201- Chad Kuhl, Pittsburgh Pirates

Yeah, no Chad Kuhl card in 2020 Topps. I know. Kuhl missed 2019 with Tommy John surgery, returned to the rotation in 2020 as a strong enough option, pitched a 4.27 ERA in 9 starts with 44 Ks, and was one of the more consistent players for the Pirates last year. He was given a high ranking in the rotation this year, and he's currently on the IL. That is the exhilaration of Pirates baseball for you.

Card #202- Salvador Perez ASG, Kansas City Royals

As Salvador Perez continues to be one of the most consistently-excellent catchers in the game, the 2020 All Star Game would have been his seventh, as well as his triumphant return. The best part is that the year of injury did nothing to dull Perez' abilities, as 2020 was still a very strong year for him, with his 2.1 WAR being very much on par with other recent numbers. Perez has been doing well this season so far, and hopefully he'll get his ASG moment this year.

Card #203- Jesus Sanchez, Miami Marlins

One of the SEVERAL youngsters the Marlins called up during the 2020 season, Jesus Sanchez was called up specifically to aid the team after Starling Marte's injury. Sanchez took Marte's place, and only hit .040 with 11 strikeouts and 2 RBIs in that 10 game period. For those reasons, Sanchez is still currently in the minors. 

Card #204- Yency Almonte, Colorado Rockies

Yency Almonte might have been one of the Rockies' best bullpen pieces of a very forgettable year. Almonte appeared in 24 games, and hit a 2.93 ERA with 23 Ks and 3 wins. Almonte was used in middle relief as well as a final-out man, getting his first save as well last year. So far in 2021, his WAR is negating the entirety of his 2020 earnings in that category.

Card #205- Alex Kirilloff, Minnesota Twins

One of the more intriguing prospects heading into the 2020 season, Alex Kirilloff saw no major league playing time last year, but was added to the postseason roster before playing a single MLB regular season game. That says everything you need to know about how confident the Twins are in Kirilloff. Granted, Kirilloff only hit .250 in 4 postseason at-bats, but he still had a postseason hit before any of his 2021 regular season hits. He's currently a decent offensive piece for the Twins, and while the 2021 Topps rookie is a lot more practical, this one could have been cool.

Card #206- Mookie Betts ASG, Los Angeles Dodgers

Third 2020 ASG starter in this post. Lowe, Perez and Betts. For the first time, though, they wouldn't all be starting for the same team, as Betts would have taken an NL start in 2020 for the Dodgers. I don't think anyone would dispute Betts' starting outfield position in a supposed 2020 ASG, especially considering his red-hot numbers and high MVP vote-getting. 

Card #207- Robert Gsellman, New York Mets

Robert Gsellman haș been one of three indispensable Mets relief arms for the past few years. With him, Seth Lugo and Jeurys Familia, the Mets have just needed to build around the core. Gsellman had an alright 2020, being utilized in a starting role and finishing with a 9.64 ERA, but he's been returned to the 'pen for 2021 and is working on a lower, sub-4 ERA so far. 

Friday brings the next 9 cards in this set. A few important player omissions, a few amusing rookies, and a very big 'what could have been'.