Well that could’ve been better.
0-2 to start the season feels awful. Especially after the way the Astros lost last night.
But it is still just a two-game losing streak—it happens all the time to the best of teams. One reason for the panic is that it seems like the starting pitcher will have to go eight innings for the team to have a chance to win. Between the starter and Josh Hader, there doesn’t appear to be a single pitcher Coach Espada can rely on—and I would include Bryan Abreu, who is available tonight after a two-game suspension.
But the middle relief can’t possibly be this bad all season. If so, all hope is indeed lost. But it wasn’t all the pitchers’ fault last night. Two errors inflated the 7-1 score appreciably.
Although the offense has 20 hits in two games, last night, the boys were 1-12 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. Plus, the Astros hit into some bad luck. They had well-struck balls. Five balls with xBA over .500 were outs, as well as 11 balls with exit velos over 90 MPH. The Stros struck out only six times, with six walks to go with their seven hits.
With better situational hitting and defense, last night’s game would not have ended looking so ugly. These things even out over time.
And don’t forget. Everyone agrees a key to the Astros’ success this year is a comeback from Cristian Javier. He looked literally better than ever last night with an effective third pitch, the change-up, added to his repertoire.
Everyone is having flashbacks of bad Jose Abreu from the first half of last year. But even peak Abreu was a notoriously slow starter. Let’s hope that’s what we’re seeing and not the gradual demise of an aging, once-great hitter.
Guess who the top three hitters in the Astros lineup are after two games? The 7-9 guys: Yanier Diaz, 1.196 OPS, Jake Meyers, 1.133, and Jeremy Pena, .875.
Diaz has looked much more professional so far. Except for one at bat when he looked like his old, wildman self, swinging at every pitch, especially the ones located a foot over the strike zone. Stop that, Yainer.
Another key to Astros success in 2024 is the success of sophomore Hunter Brown. He’ll get an early trial by fire tonight against the loaded Yankees lineup.
Marcus Stroman gets his debut with the Yankees tonight against the following lineup.
