NEW YORK, NY - MAY 28: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Jose Altuve #27 and George Springer #4 of the Houston Astros celebrate after defeating the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 28, 2018 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Astros defeated the Yankees 5-1. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – JUNE 23: Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman (2) watches the pitch during the baseball game between the Kansas City Royals and Houston Astros on June 23, 2018 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
The Houston Astros have an opportunity to boast the most representatives at the MLB All-Star game this season. With A.J. Hinch as the manager, the team seems suited to have possibly five – or more – players in this year’s bout.
The Houston Astros are essentially an All-Star team in itself. Houston’s roster contains an MVP winner, as well as multiple Cy Young award victors. Thus, fans won’t be surprised to see multiple players in the Midsummer Classic this year.
There are multiple players listed in the top five – or top 10 – in voting thus far. However, a few of them likely won’t end up on the American League club in July.
Though Max Stassi has arguably outplayed Brian McCann throughout the first half of the season, McCann sits third in votes for starting catcher. The veteran backstop missed time early in the year, and his .215/.296/.340 line isn’t spectacular.
Yuli Gurriel upped his game this past weekend, smacking two home runs, including a grand slam. But the Houston first baseman’s efforts probably won’t push him onto the All-Star roster.
Jose Abreu has had a quiet, yet productive season. Meanwhile, Mitch Moreland looks suited for his first All-Star appearance. Matt Olson also has a chance to get on the club, though it looks like Blake Treinen will be his team’s lone representative.
But that’s not all
While Marwin Gonzalez and Josh Reddick each sit in the top 10 in outfield votes, neither will make the team. Gonzalez hasn’t shined as much as he did in his breakout campaign last year, though he does have the a top-50 WAR in the AL.
Moreover, Reddick has endured the same type of year in the outfield. After posting a career-high .847 OPS in 2017, he sports a less appealing .736 OPS this year. He also missed time due to a knee infection, which didn’t help his case.
Carlos Correa sits second behind Manny Machado in votes. Yet, neither of the two rank atop the AL leaderboards in WAR.
Machado will surely get voted in because he receives a significant amount of attention – especially as a trade target. Lindor deserves the first bench spot because of his sheer dominance at the plate and his above-average fielding. Simmons, who is having a career-best season, will probably earn the second backup spot.
Lastly, Charlie Morton and Colin McHugh both have remarkable numbers thus far. Yet compared to other players, they aren’t of All-Star caliber. McHugh has the disadvantage of not being a closer nor a starter.
Despite all of the players that likely won’t make the team, it’s understandable. The roster can’t be filled with Houston’s entire lineup.
Nevertheless, there are a handful of Astros players that should be heading to Washington this July.
Jose Altuve (Starting Second Baseman)
This isn’t a surprise.
The reigning AL MVP leads the league in votes, ahead of Beantown bomber Mookie Betts and even Mike Trout. Though Altuve isn’t on his way to a second-straight MVP award, he has been by far the most efficient second baseman in the league.
Houston’s 28-year-old leader ranks eighth in the AL in WAR. The next-highest second baseman on the list is Jed Lowrie, at 19th.
But Jose Altuve still sports a .343/.402/.491 slash line. If he sits atop the AL leaderboard in hits again, it will be the fifth-straight year that he has accomplished the feat. He currently leads Jean Segura in the category by 10.
It doesn’t seem like Altuve has had a purely dominant campaign. However, his numbers are on pace to be close to what they were last season. The only differences are a slight increase in strikeouts and a decrease in power.
The strikeout era is in full swing, and it doesn’t stop with the MLB’s premier players.
Altuve could finish the year with the most strikeouts he’s recorded in one season. But it also depends on how many games he plays in the second half. So far he’s got 46 punch outs across 80 games.
The Astros hitter tied a career-high in bombs last year with 24. Thus far, he has just seven. Yet, his overall slugging percentage was much higher at the All-Star break that it is now – by .60 points.
Overall, Altuve has an opportunity to match his numbers from last year. However, even if he records a stellar second half, Trout and Betts both have superior numbers for the MVP race.
George Springer (Backup Outfielder)
Like Jose Altuve, the reigning World Series MVP hasn’t posted the best numbers in the AL overall.
Still, the outfielder has been good enough to earn his second-straight All-Star nod.
Luckily for the 28-year-old, several roster spots are open for the outfield crew. A handful of other players in the position, such as Betts, Trout and Aaron Judge, boast better numbers by a large margin.
The former top prospect notched similar campaigns each of the past two years. One striking difference last season was an increased batting average. However, while his batting average is similar, Springer has hit for less power.
Thus, his fewer amount of home runs are bringing down his OPS. But Springer is still on track to eclipse 30 in the category by year’s end.
Springer’s defense contributes as well. The outfielder recorded a negative defensive runs saved in 2017. But he’s improved this season, registering positive defensive runs saved, especially in center field.
Hence, that is one reason why Springer ranks ninth among AL outfielders in WAR.
Moreover, Springer gets help from his offense, just as much as the AL leaders in runs. Houston’s offense leads the league in runs – Springer ranks fourth in the AL in runs.
If he finishes the season ranked in the top three, it will be his fourth-straight year atop the runs leaders. However, Springer’s teammates shouldn’t take away from his success in 2018.
Alex Bregman (Backup Third Baseman)
The Astros third baseman might get the short end of the stick. If analysts are correct, Detroit’s Jeimer Candelario will earn a spot in the hot corner as the club’s representative.
If that happens, Bregman could earn a spot as a Final Vote getter. But he may also have competition from Correa, as well as others.
Nevertheless, even if the AL sports just two third baseman, an argument can be made in Bregman’s favor.
Jose Ramirez is far and above every other corner infielder in the league. His breakout season last year was no fluke, and he currently owns an OPS greater than 1.000. He ranks second in WAR in the AL, only behind the illustrious Trout.
Bregman is a budding star, but non-Astros fans will argue he hasn’t had a good enough season. Oakland’s Matt Chapman ranks higher than the Houston infielder in WAR because of his superb defense. Also, Eduardo Escobar’s rise as an everyday player might triumph over Bregman’s story.
Escobar seems poised to earn the spot on paper. Yet, Bregman has the advantage of being a part of the reigning World Series champions.
Nonetheless, one can argue that if Correa doesn’t earn a spot on the AL club, neither should Bregman. Houston cannot be the only AL squad on the All-Star roster either.
Bregman deserves to be on the team, even if it’s as a replacement for an injured player. He ranks in the top three in most categories among third baseman in the AL.
If he doesn’t find a way on the roster, he will be one of the bigger snubs during the break.
Justin Verlander (Starting AL Pitcher)
Let the numbers talk.
Justin Verlander ranks second in the entire MLB in ERA and is first in WHIP. Though he doesn’t compile as many strikeouts as Chris Sale or teammate Gerrit Cole, he deserves to start the All-Star game.
A handful of starting pitchers can contend for the honor. Cole’s dominant numbers are a big surprise. Corey Kluber owns a ridiculous 9.42 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Luis Severino also deserves some attention.
But none of them are as old as Verlander. His history, his story – all of it should be taken into account. Furthermore, his start to the season was historic.
The Astros ace has posted the best numbers of his career in Houston. And he is in line to contend for this year’s Cy Young award. Whether he will continue to throw well the rest of the year is undetermined.
Yet, he surely has made tons of noise in his 13th season.
Nevertheless, the 35-year-old’s upcoming starts could be crucial. Verlander owns good numbers in June, but they aren’t dazzling. He failed to qualify for a quality start Monday for just the second time this season.
And despite posting seemingly-mediocre numbers this month, he still ranks among the best in the AL. It’s also been five years since the veteran hurler pitched in an All-Star game.
Verlander’s story is enough to warrant a spot in this year’s game. Nevertheless, his splendid effort in the first half of the season deserves even more credit. A matchup between him and Max Scherzer seems on the horizon.
Gerrit Cole (Starting Pitcher)
When general manager Jeff Luhnow acquired Cole this offseason, Astros fans didn’t expect him to dominate opposing lineups. If they did, they understood how much-untapped potential the former Pittsburgh starter had.
Nevertheless, the one-time All-Star pitcher owns perplexing numbers thus far. He even matches Verlander in some categories. He’s arguably been Houston’s second ace.
The 27-year-old averages more than 12 strikeouts per nine innings, which is second-best in the AL behind Sale. It’s also significantly greater than his career-best ratio.
But that’s not the only category Cole currently has career-bests in. A more valid question is which categories aren’t included?
Like Verlander, the Astros starter has slowed down the past month. He owns a 3.77 ERA in June, allowing six bombs and issuing 14 walks across 31 innings. His strikeout rate is still strong, as he accrued 37 strikeouts in that span.
And even though he was arguably mediocre across his past few starts, he still ranks in the top 10 in most pitching categories amongst AL starters. At this rate, he will break most of his career-bests in the appealing categories.
Nevertheless, he also might have more walks and home runs allowed than ever before as well. But given how efficient he’s been with his payoff pitches, he should be satisfied.
