I guess Spencer Arrighetti and Cristian Javier can’t get back fast enough.
One reason why the Astros stayed afloat for as long as they did before this now 7-14 swoon was due to contributions from unexpected places. Cam Smith, for example. Brandon Walter is another. Ryan Gusto had some positive moments before his trade to the Marlins. How about today’s starter, Colton Gordon? You could make argument that Houston wouldn’t be hanging on to a 3 1/2 game lead in the AL West at this moment without those guys.
But the league adjusts then will adjust again for good measure. Always have, always will. Adjustments are a constant in this game. Smith, in the middle of a 6-for-62 slump, is in need of his own adjustment success story, like he showed earlier this season.
Easier said than done, though.
The rookie right fielder, for the lack of a better term, looks like someone who has hit the proverbial wall. But that’s not exactly a shock for a young player who appeared in only 98 games last year, a career-high in collegiate ball and professionally. And Smith will likely eclipse that total soon as he played his 96th game of the season on Saturday.
Gordon is also approaching his workload total from each of the previous two seasons, now with 109 innings in 2025 between the minors and major leagues. Following a stellar 2.14 ERA in June, July wasn’t as kind with a 6.14 ERA. August didn’t start any better with the Red Sox clobbering three home runs on seven hits for six earned runs. Yes, he struck out six and only walked one, but a low walk rate doesn’t mean much when you can’t keep the ball in the park.
Some of the players that helped the Astros to a surprisingly strong first half in 2025 are now experiencing some regression. Smith was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts on Saturday, leaving four runners in scoring position. To be fair, it wasn’t like the rest of the lineup had much more success converting runs, other than Christian Walker’s two run home run in the first inning. Carlos Correa had two hits and Victor Caratni had four of his own. The amount of hits wasn’t an issue, it was, again, a failure to convert into runs.
The bullpen held up relatively well, only allowing a run (courtesy of Héctor Neris) in four innings. Alas, the lineup couldn’t muster enough to overcome an early 6-2 deficit.
The Astros look to avoid a sweep on Sunday, with Framber Valdez starting opposite of Lucas Giolito. The Mariners and Rangers continue their series, with Texas winning to pull within 4 1/2 games behind the Astros. Seattle still trails by 3 1/2 games in the standings.