Tayler Scott was one of the feel-good stories for the Astros last season. He was also one of the team’s best relievers for the first four months of the 2025 campaign before regressing in the second half. That downturn starting in August wasn’t exactly a surprise, as he ultimately threw 68 2⁄3 innings. Joe Espada relied on him heavily, and it showed later in the season.
The hope for this season was that Scott could largely replicate his impressive first four months and take on a more prominent role within the bullpen, especially with Ryan Pressly now in Chicago. While his peripherals (4.13 FIP, 4.17 xFIP) weren’t nearly as impressive as his ERA (2.23) in 2024, that rationale was acceptable. With self-imposed payroll constraints, the organization had to bank on some internal development to lead the way, just as Scott did and would hopefully do again.
We’re now in early May and beginning to form a clearer picture of this team. Is the lineup struggling to score runs? It’s not surprising that it is when Yordan Alvarez is facing difficulties. However, the pitching staff has performed better than expected over the past couple of months. Well, most of the pitching staff. Scott, unfortunately, hasn’t improved or even kept pace with last year’s results. Instead, he has regressed further and now looks increasingly like a pitcher who shouldn’t see any high-leverage situations. Heck, even medium-leverage situations at this rate.
With the Astros trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth, the game was certainly within reach. It doesn’t help when Framber Valdez gives up a four-spot to the 8-23 White Sox, but he’ll do that occasionally. Down a run in the eighth, it felt like Espada was tempting fate a bit by asking Scott to pitch a second inning. To be clear, Scott did fine in the seventh, striking out two. But with the relatively fresh bullpen following Thursday’s off-day, I thought the decision was questionable. When Espada removed him in favor of Bennett Sousa, it was a 5-3 game, and Scott would also be charged with two more runs shortly thereafter.
The lineup didn’t perform much better, outside of Yainer Díaz. Alvarez was hitless with a strikeout. Besides Díaz, who hit a home run and drove two of Houston’s three runs, Jake Meyers had two hits and drove in a run himself. Those were the highlights at the plate. Wasting a bases-loaded and one-out situation in the second inning was particularly frustrating. 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position. It was a game to forget.
But Jose Altuve recorded his first-ever outfield assist, which is cool. Valdez also adjusted his sinker velocity and apparently threw more sinkers than Statcast indicates. Something to watch in future starts.
Framber Valdez said he intentionally decreased his velocity tonight in hopes of getting better downward movement on his sinker. Both he and Joe Espada said Valdez threw more than the 20 sinkers Statcast says he did.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 3, 2025
It was a game to forget for pretty much everyone on the Astros. Now at 16-15, we’ll see Hunter Brown, hopefully keeping the team above .500 in the young season. Based on the results so far, Brown has usurped Valdez’s place as Houston’s best starting pitcher. Let’s see if that trend continues on Saturday.