The Astros' Four Biggest Problems in 2024

Reflecting one-seventh through the season

Chances are if you’ve clicked on this, you probably already know the Astros have had a terrible start to the 2024 season that has seen poor health for their rotation, a lack of scoring runs, and terrible performances at the back end of their bullpen and at the 1st base position.

While I usually enjoy writing positive articles about the Astros, I’ve already written about the positives of the Astros’ season, so now I’ll write about the negatives.

The 2024 Astros currently look to be a sinking ship, and hopefully, they can plug up the holes that I will write about today. 

Pitching Health Has Been Poor

One off-the-field issue that the Astros have is the health of their starting pitchers.

In 2022, the Astros had one of the healthiest rotations ever. So healthy in fact, that they routinely had a six-man rotation throughout the season, that mainly consisted of Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Jose Uriquidy, Lance McCullers Jr, and Luis Garcia Jr.

However, with Cristian Javier going on the IL recently due to a neck injury, all six members of this vaunted Houston rotation have had an IL stint this season.

Justin Verlander, who returned from the IL on Friday, suffered a shoulder injury that led to him missing three starts to begin the 2024 campaign. Framber Valdez was scratched from his start when the Astros visited Arlington earlier in the season as he had elbow soreness.

While we are lucky that Framber’s injury was not worse, we have been sorely missing him. Jose Urquidy also went on the IL during spring training due to a forearm strain.

Lastly, Lance McCullers Jr and Luis Garcia Jr both underwent forearm surgery in 2023 and are still in the middle of a lengthy recovery entering 2024. They both hope to return in June or July. 

Lack of Run Scoring 

One of the things most notable about the series finale against the Nationals was how bad the offense looked. Now it’s true that every team will have bad games and stretches, however the Astros have had many games where the offense looks poor. They have had 13 of 23 games this year where they scored three runs or less. In these games they are 1-12.

Many teams aren’t good enough to win games where they score three or less runs, and as we’ve seen, the 2024 Astros are not one of those teams. But just because they aren’t scoring runs, doesn’t mean the Astros batters have had poor seasons (with a few exceptions of course). Jose Altuve, Jeremy Pena, Yainer Diaz, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker have hit amazingly to begin 2024. Mauricio Dubon and Victor Caratini have also been solid contributors off the bench.

However, the problem isn’t getting hits, it’s getting clutch hits. There is no way of avoiding this conversation, the 2024 Astros have been one of the least clutch teams in baseball. The Astros are 0-6 in one-run games (they are the only MLB team to not win a one-run game yet thus far into the season), they have blown a lead in nine games so far this season, and they leave an ungodly amount of runners on base.

This was most noticeable during the Kansas City series where the Astros left 36 runners on base in three games.

The Astros have done very well at reaching base, just not scoring, especially in close and late situations. 

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Introducing Stros Chat - Parker and Marty discuss two of the biggest issues for the Astros in 2023 in just 10 minutes

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Terrible Back End Of The Bullpen 

Part of the 2024 Astros not being clutch comes from the backend of the bullpen.

Specifically, the guys who were supposed to be the main stalwarts in the back end of the bullpen, Ryan Pressly, and Josh Hader.

Ryan Pressly was moved to the setup man role after the Astros signed Josh Hader to a 5 year $95,000,000 contract. Pressly has looked worse in this less pressured situation. 

However, Pressly has started the year off poorly. He has an 8.31 ERA, and a WHIP of 2.07. However, he may be getting a little unlucky as his FIP is currently 3.32.

The fact of the matter is that Pressly has blown two saves, he’s given up an earned run in 5 of 10 appearances this season, and the Astros are 2-8 in games he’s pitched in this season.

Hader, just like Pressly, has an inflated ERA, and a low FIP with an ERA at 8.38 and a FIP at 2.79.

Hader blew a save against the Blue Jays and lost back-to-back games against the Yankees and the aforementioned Blue Jays.

Hader is also similar to Pressly in that he’s given up an earned run in five of his appearances this year.

The Astros are also 3-8 in games Hader has pitched in. So it’s true that Hader and Pressly might be getting unlucky, however, it’s also true that this has been one of the biggest issues for the Houston Astros so far in the 2024 season. 

Terrible 1st Base Play

The last topic is painful to talk about. However, it is the biggest elephant in the room (or the baseball field). Jose Abreu has stunk throughout this season.

After a decent but somewhat disappointing season for the Astros in 2023, Abreu came out in 2024 and looked terrible.

He’s currently batting .068. He is 4 for 59 with four singles, one RBI, three walks and 17 strikeouts. Abreu currently has an OPS+ of -32. He has also made three errors in the field so far this season. He’s been nearly unplayable.

The Astros’ backup 1st Baseman Jon Singleton is currently batting .229 and so far in 14 games has 1 extra-base hit. Which is more than Abreu but still not very good.

Neither option is good for a team that wants to win the World Series, but maybe there are a few solutions.

Putting Yainer Diaz at 1st Base, and having Caratini catching more often would be a good solution to this. I understand pitchers have personal catchers, but the Astros desperately need to score runs and this would help them.

Another idea if you want to keep Yainer catching, is playing our utility man, Mauricio Dubon at 1st Base. Now this might be a risky move as Dubon has only played two games at 1st Base in his career, however, Dubon’s hot bat would be needed in the lineup. Also, it would give Jake Meyers (who has been average so far this season) the everyday playing opportunity that he was supposed to have coming into the season.

If you don’t want to have Dubon or Diaz play 1st Base, Jared Walsh was just DFAed by the Texas Rangers, and while he wasn’t amazing so far this year, it’d be way better than whatever Abreu is doing. The Astros have a few solutions to this solution and they need to figure that out soon. 

Conclusion

The Astros have struggled so far in 2024, that part is true. However, we still have 139 games to turn it around, and if the team addresses these issues (and hopefully get healthier), then they still have a chance to make the playoffs, especially in the weak AL West.

I don’t know what they’ll do to address these issues, but I sure as heck will still be tuning in to watch them as there is always still a chance until they are officially eliminated, and we’re a long way from there right now.

So what do you think has been the toughest part of the 2024 Astros season? Let us know in the comments below or tweet your answers to us @astronomic1.