Cover jinx?
Sports Illustrated is already feeling nervous about its World Series prediction.
The Houston Astros were a popular pick amongst experts leading into the regular season. Other than the Cubs, the Astros have the deepest young talent pool in the big leagues,
So, what’s the problem?
Dallas Keuchel, while not posting eye-popping numbers, has been solid, relying on groundballs outs with just one game of over five strikeouts. Maybe there’s reason to be concerned there, but it’s the backend of the Houston rotation which has been a wreck.
Collin McHugh, Mike Fiers and newly acquired Doug Fister have combined to allow 23 runs in 29 innings. Fiers, in particular, has gotten off a very tough start (6.55 ERA), with opposing hitting .463 on his fastball. His velocity is down just a bit from 2015, as evidenced by three homers given up to open the season. Once Lance McCullers returns from rehab stints, Fiers would be the guy to slide into the long relief role.
Offensively, the Astros have relied heavily on the top of the order as guys such as Carlos Gomez (.190, 0 HR), Luis Valbuena (.182, 0 HR) and Jason Castro (42 K%) have struggled. Thankfully, the emergence of Tyler White, who leads the team with a .395 average and four homers, has been a pleasant surprise.
Next: 10-1: NL Central clash awaits