Houston Astros are beginning to look like themselves… again
After a recent lull, the Houston Astros are getting healthy and once again looking like the team to beat in the American League.
Don’t look now, but the Houston Astros are slowly but surely getting some of their key pieces back as we head into September. The Astros have won four of their last six, and three of their last four after losing nine of 11 a few weeks back. It wasn’t even two weeks ago that Houston was beginning to come unraveled after losing to teams like the Tigers and Phillies, but since then the starting rotation has significantly improved.
In their last seven games the Astros’ pitching has been dynamic, averaging a 3.52 ERA, which ranks among the best in the American League.
The return of Dallas Keuchel has been an electric awakening to the starting rotation for the Astros, as he shut down the Oakland Athletics on Friday night. Since his return from neck discomfort, Keuchel has thrown two gems with Friday night’s consisting of seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits and one walk. The much needed addition of Keuchel is a sight for sore eyes for the Astros faithful given his dominant campaign this season in which he is 11-2.
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This has allowed the versatile bats to come through in the late innings, and thus given the Astros a chance to win ballgames. Just by looking at the numbers, Houston’s offense has only averaged a measly .246 at the plate, but a deeper look shows that the Astros have put up 65 hits, including seven home runs, over an astounding 264 at bats during this seven-game span. The timely at bats have become crucial for a club that has become accustomed to playing in tight games past the seventh inning, but they have managed to come through with 28 RBI.
The upcoming schedule won’t help a team that is still somewhat reeling from injuries as they play host to the NL East division-leading Washington Nationals on Monday night, but with key pieces returning for this Astros team down the stretch, they are primed for a return to their old selves.
One of the largest advantages this Astros team has is their lead in the division. Even with a resurgent Angels team, Houston has firm control of the AL West, leading by 13 games. With August about to be in the books, it looks as if no one will catch this Astros squad. With that being said, Houston is reaping the benefits from its utter domination in the beginning of the season, when they took off and held the best record in the majors prior to the Los Angeles Dodgers going on an absolute tear, but that’s another article for another time.
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This Astros team, as I have said all along, is the clear-cut favorite to win the American League crown, and with Dallas Keuchel returning to his old form, I have never been so confident. The loss of Brian McCann will certainly sting as he recovers on the DL, but as Houston awaits the return of Carlos Correa, there has never been a better time to become a believer in the Astros.