Houston Astros News

Home

Quizzes

Newsletter

Houston Astros catcher Yainer Diaz (21) Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros: Stock up, stock down

By Michael Carpenter | Last updated 6/22/23

With a record of 41-34, the Houston Astros find themselves in second place in the American League West division, trailing the Texas Rangers by five and a half games. Hit hard with injuries to begin the season, the team is a mix of veterans and young talent that are capable of making a serious playoff push. Here are a few Astros that have made the biggest leaps and some who have stumbled out the gate in 2023.

Stock Up

Yainer Diaz, catcher: Acquired in a 2021 trade that sent outfielder Myles Straw to the Cleveland Guardians, Yainer Diaz has quickly gone from Low-A to the MLB after two stellar seasons in the minors.

With Martin Maldonado receiving a bulk of the starts at catcher, the Astros have been using Diaz at first base and designated hitter to keep his bat in the lineup. After a slow start to the season, Diaz has been red-hot over his last 15 games posting a .333/.339/.684 slash line while slugging five home runs and 10 RBI.

His emergence has been huge, with the injury to Yordan Alvarez leaving a big hole to fill for the Astros Diaz will look to continue getting accustomed to big-league pitching as he progresses through his first year in the majors.

Probably the biggest moment for Yainer Diaz in an Astros uniform.

2 outs, cold off the bench, provides the game-tying single in the 9th pic.twitter.com/qpEMJWHLNu
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) June 16, 2023

Framber Valdez, pitcher: After losing 2022 AL Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander to the New York Mets in free agency this offseason, the Astros were expecting Valdez to take over as team ace and he has filled the role with great success to begin 2023.

After his best season as a member of the Astros in 2022, going 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA Valdez has taken the next step this season. Posting a 7-5 record, Valdez has a 2.27 ERA with a 9.45 K/9 and a career-low 1.91 BB/9. Attacking batters early in counts with a heavy dose of his sinker and curveball, Valdez has seen an increase in strikeouts and a decrease in walks.

Valdez has had to carry an injury-plagued rotation through this first part of 2023. Losing Lance McCullers Jr. in spring training and Luis Garcia after just six starts to season-ending injuries, he will need to continue to dominate opposing lineups as the Astros search for reinforcements.

Pitched a gem. pic.twitter.com/XofaoYVFCw
— Houston Astros (@astros) June 21, 2023

Stock Down:

Jose Abreu, first base: The Astros' prized offseason acquisition, Abreu was given a three-year, $58.5M deal and in return is having his worst season since breaking into the majors in 2014.

Batting a career-low .225 with only four home runs and 33 RBI, this is far from the production the Astros were expecting when signing the 2020 AL MVP. With Alvarez absent from the lineup, Abreu's struggles have been harder to hide and the Astros have seen others have to step up and fill the void like Diaz.

With plenty of season left the Astros can only hope that Abreu will start seeing the ball better and give them more bang for their buck if not his contract could become one of the worst free-agent signings in recent team history.

Rafael Montero, pitcher: Montero came into the season fresh off his best year in the majors and starting the first year of the contract extension that he received in the offseason.

Signed to a three-year, $34.5M extension, which is a massive payday for a non-closer, Montero has seemingly regressed back into the pitcher that saw him bounce around three other organizations before latching on in Houston.

Posting a 1-3 record with a 7.04 ERA has nearly given up as many runs as he has innings pitched surrendering 24 in only 30 2/3 innings. Opposing batters are hitting .331 versus the right-hander, giving up a career-high 12.33 hits per nine.

Like Abreu, this could go down as an even bigger off-season blunder if Montero can't turn things around for the Astros in 2023.

More must-reads: