The Houston Astros have had an impressive last month after starting the season as one of the most disappointing teams in baseball. True to form, they managed to stay afloat and are now just 1.0 game out of first place in the American League West.
Early-season injuries impacted both their pitching staff and lineup, and with new manager Joe Espada at the helm, it’s understandable why Houston faced challenges. However, they turned things around and are heading into the All-Star break with renewed confidence.
Espada praised his team’s resilience, stating, “Roller coaster is a good analogy for it,” according to Greg Rajan of the Houston Chronicle. “A lot of ups and downs, but I really like the way we bounced back.”
The Astros have enjoyed consistent success over the past decade, and their early struggles this season were a rare occurrence. Typically, such challenges can cause a team to falter, but Houston has shown they aren’t ready to concede yet.
With the trade deadline approaching, the Astros have the potential to further strengthen their team, enhancing their chances of another World Series win.
Espada identified key moments that signaled their turnaround, highlighting the Chicago White Sox series in June as pivotal. “I think our series in Mexico was a series where we flushed a lot of stuff out and we said it’s time to do it now,” Espada said. “We had a couple of conversations as a team there and in the White Sox series (June 18-20 in Chicago) that I thought was kind of a turning point where we set some goals as a club and we have met those goals.”
Since their series loss to the White Sox, the Astros have been the hottest team in baseball, going 17-6 and winning six of the eight series they’ve played.
This success came even without Kyle Tucker, who has been out with a shin injury since June 3.
As the season progresses, it will be intriguing to see how the Astros capitalize on their current momentum and confidence.
