MLBTR’s team-by-team have a look at the upcoming deadline continues with the Astros. They’re but once more in pole place within the AL West. Payroll is likely to be an impediment this summer season, however they’re in a well-recognized place as a deadline purchaser.
Document: 45-33 (89.6% playoff chance, per FanGraphs)
Purchase Mode
Potential wants: Left-handed bat, rotation depth, second base
Dana Brown gave us a straightforward place to begin for the Astros’ deadline outlook. Houston’s common supervisor mentioned over the weekend that the entrance workplace is already scouring the marketplace for a left-handed hitter. That will have been straightforward sufficient to deduce from a have a look at the roster. The Astros have probably the most right-handed lineup in current historical past. They’ve given greater than 2500 plate appearances to righty hitters this season (not together with switch-hitters in opposition to lefty pitching). The second-place Angels are greater than 400 PAs behind Houston, and no different group has even reached 1900. They’re on tempo to surpass the 2022 Blue Jays for probably the most plate appearances for right-handed batters in a season this century.
The flip facet, in fact, is that they’ve given a staggeringly low 175 plate appearances to pure left-handed hitters. Victor Caratini is their solely switch-hitter of be aware. Yordan Alvarez ought to be again in some unspecified time in the future, however he is arising on two months since he fractured his proper hand. Opponents have unsurprisingly thrown extra right-handed pitchers at Houston than at another. It hasn’t stopped them from having success to date, however they will clearly choose to have extra steadiness as they look forward to potential playoff sequence.
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