MLBTR’s team-by-team take a look at the upcoming deadline continues with the Astros. They’re but once more in pole place within the AL West. Payroll is perhaps an impediment this summer season, however they’re in a well-known place as a deadline purchaser.
File: 45-33 (89.6% playoff chance, per FanGraphs)
Purchase Mode
Potential wants: Left-handed bat, rotation depth, second base
Dana Brown gave us a simple place to begin for the Astros’ deadline outlook. Houston’s normal supervisor stated over the weekend that the entrance workplace is already scouring the marketplace for a left-handed hitter. That might have been straightforward sufficient to deduce from a take 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 staff 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 aspect, 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 observe. Yordan Alvarez must be again sooner or later, 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 some other. It hasn’t stopped them from having success to this point, however they will clearly desire to have extra stability as they look forward to potential playoff sequence.
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