The Houston Astros are surprisingly having a poor season.
As of May 22, the Astros were five games back of .500 and were five games back from first in the AL West.
Now, as of June 17, Houston is six games back of .500 and currently nine games back from first in the AL West.
The Astros are currently seven games back from a wild-card spot.
This was not the expected season for Houston and they have been a major disappointment thus far.
Below, we will discuss what has gone wrong for the Astros this season, whether they can turn things around, and if they will be sellers at the trade deadline.
What Has Gone Wrong For The Houston Astros This Season
One thing that has not gone Houston’s way is staying healthy.
They have dealt with injuries to numerous key players.
Currently, Kyle Tucker is on the IL and has not played since June 3.
He was playing at an MVP caliber before the injury and this has been a massive blow to their offense.
Earlier in the year, their ace pitcher, Framber Valdez missed most of April with an elbow injury.
Valdez started his first two games to begin the year before his injury that sidelined him for nearly a month.
It took some time for Valdez to get over the injury and he has not been nearly as sharp this season as in previous years.
Cristian Javier needed to have Tommy John surgery and will miss the remainder of the year.
He started in just seven games this season.
Justin Verlander did not make his season debut till April 19 and he has not been nearly as sharp as we are used to seeing him.
He recently was scratched from a start recently but seems to have avoided going on the IL for now.
Hunter Brown has turned things around lately but he was awful in April.
This has all left Houston’s pitching rotation depleted and their pitchers have struggled this season.
Ronel Blanco has been the best starter for the Astros this season.
He is having a very good season.
Despite Blanco having a very good season, Houston’s starters rank bottom 10 in the league in ERA, WHIP, home runs allowed, runs allowed, and walks allowed.
Houston’s offense is still good this year but they do need Kyle Tucker back to make them a much more dangerous offense.
Starting pitching has been a major issue for the Astros this season and the main reason for their struggles.
Can Houston Turn Their Season Around & Make A Playoff Push?
Since May 22, the Houston Astros have fallen further back in the AL West and wild-card.
Their starting pitchers have been wildly inconsistent this season except Ronel Blanco.
Kyle Tucker’s injury is taking longer than expected for him to recover.
Once he does return, it will take him some time for him to get back into form.
Given all the injuries and struggles to their starting pitching and the fact they have fallen further back since last month, Houston does not seem like they will be able to turn things around and make a playoff push.
Will The Astros Be Sellers At The Trade Deadline?
This season’s MLB trade deadline is July 30, 2024.
Houston has been buyers over the years, even in this past offseason, acquiring Justin Verlander.
This season is different as Houston is struggling to catch up to the Mariners in the AL West and are far back from a wild-card spot.
With the Astros struggling, this is leading to speculation they could be sellers at the trade deadline.
One name to keep an eye on is Alex Bregman.
Bregman is 30 years old and entering the final season of a six-year deal.
Other players to keep an eye on are Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Jose Urquidy, who all have one year of club control remaining after this season.
Houston could be sellers at the MLB trade deadline if they are not in the hunt, which at the moment looks like they will not be in the hunt come the trade deadline.
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