2021 MLB Team Preview: Houston Astros

The Houston Astros were able to make the most out of a weird and short 2020 MLB season and are hoping to do the same in 2021. The team is expected to face major changes in the offseason at the end of this upcoming season which means Houston will have to make the most out of what they have right now. Will they be able to make a deep playoff run, or will they sputter out too early?

What Happened Last Year

There have been tons of people watching the Astros every move ever since it was reported that they were stealing signs during their 2017 World Series run. Those people got to witness the reigning CY Young winner Justin Verlander go down with an injury to his forearm that lasted the entire season. They also lost Roberto Osuna for the year after he made just four appearances throughout the season. They ended the year with a 29-31 record despite losing numerous starters to injury and actually ended the year in third place in the AL West. Then they made a strong postseason run by defeating the Minnesota Twins 2-0 in the AL Wild Card Series, knocking out their division rivals the Oakland Athletics 3-1 in the AL Division Series then lost in the AL Championship Series to the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3.  

Offseason Changes

The Astros were unable to retain one of their best players during the offseason, as George Springer left the team to join the Toronto Blue Jays on a six-year, $150 million deal. Houston sent out an $18.9 million qualifying offer, but Springer rejected it, with neither side putting much effort after that. The team did resign Michael Brantley to a new contract though, avoiding letting another outfielder walk in free agency. Houston also made a few under the radar moves with the signing of Jason Castro along with the trade that saw them acquire Luke Berryhill from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Cionel Perez.

2021 Outlook

Houston is definitely not one of the top teams in the league anymore entering this season, not having Verlander available for this year after he got Tommy John surgery could prove to be a devastating blow once again and the loss of Springer could hurt their defense pretty badly. The team does still possess a bit of talent and should have an above average offense, but they just have too many unknowns to expect them to dominate the league. Their defense may also take a hit with Springer moving on, Houston may not have done enough in the offseason to counteract some of their losses. However, they do have the luxury of playing in an incredibly weak division that doesn’t have a clear favorite heading into this year, but chances are the Astros are able to come out on top. Don’t be surprised if you see them finish atop their division this year after the Oakland Athletics claimed the title last season.

Pick: 1^st In Atlantic League West