Can the Houston Astros claim their second-straight World Series?
By Kyle Cardoza
What about the pitching?
Houston’s starting rotation enjoyed arguably the most dominant start to the season in MLB history.
One major advantage the Astros had in the first half is its crew’s durability. All five of the club’s starting pitchers avoided injuries and pitched more than 110 innings. All five also boasted ERAs below 4.00.
No other team in the bigs currently possess a rotation that efficient and consistent. Therefore, it’s clear why Houston seems equipped for another 100-win season if its rotation can remain healthy.
Moreover, all five are the epitome of stability. The Astros have 65 quality starts this season – out of 99 games started. That’s nine more than the next-best team in the Brewers, which is a surprise in itself.
Houston’s starting staff ranks above the rest in essentially every category. With this rotation, there doesn’t seem to be a limit in success.
The relief staff is in a similar boat, as it ranks in the top two compared to every other team in the league. Frankly, the bullpen hasn’t had to be as efficient due to the the rotation’s dominance.
Nevertheless, Astros relievers own superior numbers compared to last year’s squad by a significant margin.
Last year’s relief crew posted an ERA above 4.00, which ranked in the middle of the pack. This year’s been different for a variety of reasons.
Collin McHugh’s transition into a reliever resulted in essentially All-Star caliber numbers. Meanwhile, Hector Rondon seems like a steal of the offseason after emerging as the team’s new closer.
Also, the Astros still possess hybrid relievers, such as Chris Devenski and Brad Peacock. Both posted strong numbers once again while claiming saves as well.
Overall, it’s a much stronger pitching staff, and coach Brent Strom has worked wonders with just about every hurler on the club.