The Houston Astros have a REAL CHANCE to get a bye in the playoffs & Isaac Paredes nearing return??

The Houston Astros have a REAL CHANCE to get a bye in the playoffs & Isaac Paredes nearing return??

Welcome in to Inside the Ice Box here on the ESPN Houston YouTube channel talking all things Houston Astros. Joe George and Shawn Mapes. And always today’s episode’s brought to you by Blueestar Tequila, the world’s first and only night harvested tequila. You can find it near you at bluestar tequila.com. It’s awesome. I use it for everything at home these days. And I use it when I’m watching the Astros win baseball games cuz a week ago, Sean, you kind of were killing them a little bit. We were wondering if the season was going to die. We thought we were going to be drinking Blue Star because they’re losing. Yeah. Now that’s the Texans podcast. That one’s still up in the table. Swarmcast this way. Yeah. Astros up, Stormcast down. Um but all of a sudden the Astros as we record this are are back in first place for today. At least as again as we record this in the AL West and they’re really only a game and a half back of the Detroit Tigers for a first round buy. Things change quickly. They sweep the Rangers. They win the silver boot. They’ve won it every year since 2017, if that matters to you. I know it doesn’t matter to everyone, but even with the Alvarez injury that happened since we last recorded, things do feel a little bit more positive all of a sudden. Yeah. Yeah. It’s amazing what winning baseball games will do and especially winning baseball games against a team that was creeping up behind you. You I mean, you know, last show we were talking about as a are are we sure this team will make the playoffs? And that was kind of baking in if they do have a rough stretch uh against the next six games or these six games against the uh Rangers and against the Mariners, three of each. And well, they took care of one of it. You’re not going to have a bad stretch. you’re going to be 500 at worse over these six key games in your division because yeah, you take care of the Rangers and really set a baseline for how bad the bad worst case scenario can be uh in the AL West and AL Wildard race because the team that’s behind you in the AL West race and the team that was behind you in the AL wild card race, well, you just put three losses on them while you get three wins. So the baseline expectation of like what is the worst case scenario? I think I it’s raised two, you know, they might have to go on the road on a wild in a wild card series like uh or I guess not like they did last year. Last year they hosted a wild card series only played two games. That is still about the worst case scenario so far. Yeah, I mean pretty much everything’s on the table now for the Astros. I mean they could be the two seed, three, four, five, six. like it it is it is a tight race with both, you know, the Red Sox and the Mariners currently sitting at 83 and 69. The Yankees are 85 and 67. So, the Astros are behind them currently. Um, but they’re again, they’re also right behind the Detroit Tigers. So, they could really end up anywhere at this point. They’re going to be in the playoffs. That I feel confident about now after just a week change. I I feel comfortable saying at this point the Astros will be a playoff team. Uh, and they will find a way to be in there in some capacity. I don’t know what that capacity is going to be. I mean, look, the the rotation is set up in the best way possible for this series against the Mariners. Your playoff rotation is going Hunter Brown, Farmer RVald, Jason Alexander. That’s your top three no matter what. Yeah, that there you go. You’re getting them for the Mariners. Yeah, that’s that’s and that’s your playoff rotation at this point. Like Javier gets the ball in game four. I don’t know where blue ball mixes in. We’ll talk about him, but it it’s it’s lined up nicely to have those best guys on the mound when you need them. So, this is a huge series just as much as this Rangers one was. You win two out of three here with only then a handful of games left to go in the season. The Astros really control their own destiny at this point in regards to at least the AL West. Yeah, because not only do they have those three wins banked against the Rangers, they have these three upcoming games where, like you said, uh, pitching rotation sets up nicely. You have the destiny in your own hands. When it comes to the Mariners and then the last six games of this season are all winnable games against ALS teams that are eliminated. You have the Athletics and then you have the uh the Angels both on the road. But this is a situation where, you know, playing in Sacramento and playing in Anaheim, not exactly the most fearsome environment. So, you really do have the entire, you know, fate in your own hands because teams like the Red Sox, teams like the Yankees, even the uh Tigers, they have much harder schedules than you over this next stretch run. So, even the parts that you don’t hold in your own destiny, you don’t you don’t play those teams, but you’re in a better position schedule-wise than those teams are. Yeah, it is interesting because the Astro season is such a roller coaster of in terms of the seating where they could end up. They probably won’t be able to play the games as much in terms of setting up your playoff rotation, but I think it’s still going to set up pretty close to what it would be anyways. But it would be nice if the Astros could secure a playoff spot. And at that point, honestly, like I am okay if they decided to rest players. Once the playoff spot is 100% secured, even if it’s just going into that Angel series or those last two days, I’d be fine with it unless you can pass the Tigers. Then I then I want you to push for that. I was I was wondering like so clinch a wild card spot like we’re the very first champagne celebration that you do where it’s like we will make the playoffs you’re good at that point of setting things up for you know in that case it would be wild a wild card series. Yeah. Uh how many is too many champagne celebrations? Um I could go because right now the Astros can get a playoff birth. Yeah. An AL West. Yep. a wild card round, an ALDS, an ALCS, and a World Series. They could have six this year. I think I think celebrating and the Astros really aren’t in this position right now, no matter how good we feel about them. They’re they’re not in the spot right now where you probably shouldn’t celebrate just clinching a playoff spot. All right, so we’re down to five. Yeah. Yeah. that that is the normal, you know, when the Astros I saw a clip of like this day in Astros history was from 2017 and it was like last week they had already clinched the ALS. That team I don’t think a week before was was celebrating clinching a wild card spot. They might have cuz that was the first time they made the playoff switch. True. They made in 2015. That does that does matter a little bit of like if if you’ve been there, done that. But I I also think that just affects the level of celebration like Yeah. It should be more muted. It’s a toast toast. Exactly. And then ramp it up every time. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Maybe the first one there’s no beer. Maybe it’s only champagne, you know. Or maybe it’s only beer and then you add in the champagne. You go farther and farther you go. Like I mean the Astros I even when like when they were going to the ALCS every year I was like they really doing this for ALDS. Yeah. I was like I mean they are but you did notice the ALDS uh celebrations were more muted. Like they’re they’re much more muted than you know event the half the time they then won the ALCS and made the World Series. Those were the real celebrations. What a spoiled fan base we have. It’s a very funny thing to say. you know, half the time of the seven straight ALCS’s they won and then they would celebrate more that time. Yeah. It’s just it is it is very different a world. Any Mariners fan any Mariner fan that’s like I want to hear what the other side’s saying. They hate us so much right now. Yeah. The Mariners fans like I would tell the Mariners players like you can go if you if you if you have six champagne opportunities, you should take all six. Like they should take one for clinching the playoffs and then take one for winning the West if they win it. Yes, they deserve that. I guess just stay safe, be ready for the next game. But yeah, we we need uh we need to celebrate as much as we can because looking back in their history, not a ton in recent history to celebrate. Uh what’ you make of Christian Javier’s performance the other night? I thought he looked really good. obviously gives up a couple runs early, but definitely felt like in the end, you know, he ends up going final stat line was uh six innings, five hits, two ear runs, four strikeouts, only one walk. I mean, he looked like a guy where I think Jason Alexander again is clearly the guy who gets the ball in game three of a series right now, whether it’s wild card or ALDS if the rotation sets up that way. But I I do feel very comfortable with where Christian Javier is at at this point going into the postseason. Feels like we’ve seen signs of some form of Javier in most of the starts. Yeah, I I think the last start is the best like reasonable best case scenario that you can like if you can just pencil that in for Christian Javier for the rest of the season. Like you take that in a second. Absolutely. Of it’s not going to be the super high-end, you know, Christian Javier from 2022, 2020 and parts of 2023. It’s a step back from that, but that’s really what you need. and him, you know, at that level, he is about a number three starter on most on most teams. He’s giving you that level of production. You just have the luxury of maybe he’s the game four starter in any uh longer series that you’re playing. Yeah. I think what’s really interesting too is then now what you do with with Blue Ball because I mean he threw three innings, 50 pitches. That was the plan. So like he’s not going to be your game four starter, right? You’re going to start Christian Javier. But Christian Javier is a guy that, you know, is known for sometimes 88 pitches gets him through four innings, not through six innings like it did in his last start. But I like having Blue Ball on this roster, I think he’s going to be really important for the Astros that they’re going to make a World Series run this year because of the three guys after Hunter Brown that if you can keep Blue Ball flexible to say, “Okay, From struggling for two innings, we’re going to yank him. Blue Ball’s going to come in and get you at least into the fifth inning.” that could be such a huge weapon for the Astros whether it’s after Fromber, after Alexander or after Javier like I I think that is going to be really an important piece to help this bullpen out that hasn’t been great at all times since all the injuries really started to take place. So I I think he’s another one where he really has impressed me. Jeremy and I were talking about this where feels like he’s kind of penciled himself in as a member of the starting rotation also for 2026. Yeah, I think 2026 you have to pencil him as a as a starter, especially given that you’re expected to lose from Valdez and then the injuries that have mounted this season. Yeah, Blanco was a lot of them are those guys, a lot of them are going to carry Garcia, a lot of those are going to carry into next season. So you you will need an extra arm and that’s something that in the recent history that unless they’re making a blockbuster trade for Verlander or Grinky, they’re really not investing that much in. Cole wasn’t exactly a blockbuster trade, but they invested a lot in those guys. They really do that and then they depend on their development. I think he’s going to be more in that vein of depending on the development of him. for 2025. I think they use him like you outlined where he is basically a piggyback starter for any one of the uh of anyone the uh Christian Javier if you know Jason Alexander if he ever has a bad start again but he is not a proven guy in the playoffs obviously the last couple months has been uh very volatile so I think he’s a weapon to have in the bullpen a lot like in 2017 how they used Lance McCull’s closing out game seven of the ALCS against the Yankees. And then later in game seven against the Dodgers, they flipped it where they had Morton close out that game because they’re a team that was very light on bullpin arms that you trust. And so they had a surplus of good starting pitching. They didn’t have a ton of elite starting pitching, but they had a guy like McCullers, a guy like Morton where some games they could start, but the other one would then take up the bulk of that bullpin innings. Yeah. And honestly, I I think even if if if a if I almost called said AJ Hinch, if Joe Spatada wanted to be really, you know, pushed the limits of Blue Ball and you wanted to use him, we’re going to do like kind of a a trust tree, I would say, later in the show, but you could make an argument for Blue Ball as like a high leverage guy at this point with the way like like if they were like, “Okay, he’s going to be the guy who pitches in the seventh inning that helps you get to the eighth and then to Brian Abrau.” Like you could sell me on that at this point. So, they could really use him in a ton of different ways. Um, and his stuff is nasty. I mean, he’s touching 93, 94. We’ve seen him touch 98 before when he comes out of the bullpen. He can kind of do a bit of everything. Yeah, that that’s why I I have a higher level of trust in him as, you know, versus his actual resume as as a MLB player because he just has that kind of electric stuff that you that you believe in and especially coming out of the bullpin is super effective. And yeah, like you said, this bullpin, the the roles aren’t so clear, so clear that you like, nope, sorry, no space for him. It’s not the 2022 team where you had Abrau and Presley and you even only in 2022 felt pretty good about Raphael Monto coming in in the seventh inning. You don’t have that in this uh current bullpin configuration. So, I mean, you said seventh inning. If there’s a situation where there’s more lefties coming up in the seventh and you use Brian King there, I would be open to using him as the eighth inning guy as opposed to an Ourt or anyone or Joel Santos or Craig Kimberell. Like right now, if I had to make the call, I might be making blue ball uh the eighth inning guy in certain situations that dictate that. Yeah. And I also think Brian Abrau is going to be asked to do what he did the other day as well a lot in the postseason. I don’t think he is going to be asked to just be a three out guy in the postseason. I mean, if you have a lefty on the mound and it’s two lefties coming up and you know, maybe that person rolled over so you then can have the opportunity to bring in Brian Abrau to get the final out of the eighth inning. I think we’re going to see a lot of that where is he is going to be asked to go out there and maybe even in situations where if you’re facing, you know, the Mariners and Cal Raleigh’s coming up in the eighth day, it’s like, well, we want Brian Abrau out there for a guy who’s hit 56 home runs as we recorded this um this year, which is incredible. Like, we want a Breu out there for the eighth, which means he’s also probably going out there for the ninth potentially. The wild card series is a little more challenging because three games in three days, but when you get past that, if you do, you have the flexibility to use him in a lot of different ways. Yeah, and I I think the Rangers series gave us a little sneak peek of what to expect or how we expect Joe Spata to treat a playoff game because the those games were very a high leverage in a lot of a lot of spots. Even the games where they went up big early, they be later became high leverage uh outings for the bullpen. And yeah, he when you know the backs are against the wall, when it is a essentially a playoff scenario like this Rangers series was and like the Mariners series will be, you saw that, okay, if we need four outs, we’ll depend on Brian Abrau last night as we record this, they needed four outs, they depended on Brian King. Like they they will they will break CLA gat break glass in case of emergency like that. And that is something a spat I mean he was doing it back in May with Josh her. He was doing that a a lot last season when they dug themselves an early hole and they had to take regular season games more seriously early in that season. So I think this is a pretty clear trend that Joe Spud has has shown that he has. Um, it seems like, and look, if you’re listening to the radio show version of this, because it’s the YouTube audience that nothing, no news is broken yet. But for the radio show, it might already be out there. But it appears Isach Paradis might be returning this weekend to face the Mariners or potentially early next week if it’s not this weekend. I I mean, Joe Espada has been confident in it. Dana Brown has had some interesting comments. I he said I think we’re talking about a return this weekend. Yeah, I think we’re talking about it. Like the think part I I I’m I’m assuming that’s almost more of a crutch as he’s talking uh the actual like intention of words. But Paris coming back feels felt so far-fetched at any point this season when he got hurt and now it feels like Isach Paradus is going to be back for the Houston Astros. Sean, I think at this point I think it would be a disappointment if he doesn’t come back the way they’re talking about it. Yeah, for sure. And and they’re talking about him playing the Mariners series. They’re they’re talking about him playing as we record this tomorrow maybe. Yeah. And that is something that I definitely did not have on my bingo card. I thought maybe at most they call him up or activate him for the last six games and treat that as a way to bring him along slowly. And I think they still will bring him along slowly as far as he will only DH and he’ll probably get a plethora of off days in between playing as he ramps up. Joe Apati even said that when he is activated he’s going to tell him not to run 100% on the bases which hey listen you probably also should have told Yordon Alvarez that. But you know what’s in the past is in the past. I mean Yodon doesn’t listen though. Like I I think it’s clear like we and we’ll touch on Yordon in a second, but he’s steal he’s stealing bags and minor league rehab starts. He’s been out for the entire season. Like Yordon Alvarez, he wants to be a ball player. Yeah, I appreciate that. Yeah, he doesn’t want to be live in bubble wrap like David Ortiz did, but he he’s got to mature. I think that’s a fair way to put it. Honestly, it might sound harsh, but like I do think Yordon Navares has some maturing to doing as a baseball player because while he doesn’t need to live in bubble wrap or he doesn’t want to live in bubble wrap, he needs to at this point because I thought his ankle was shattered. I was at the Texans game. There was an audible groan in my section. Oh. As people found out when like I think Yeah. like there was a group people that must had like push notifications on for like Chandler or someone and like and then all a sudden everyone saw the photo and there was just this Oh, yeah. The fo the photo was pretty gnarly. Yeah. And what they said afterwards was also I would say not confidence inspiring. It was significant was used. And to me significant is see you in 2026. Yes. It or it is just like week we’re talking weeks or months. And right now you know the World Series would start about five weeks from now. Yeah. So that seem it seems pretty far-fetched that he would play, you know, in any wild card round or ALDS, maybe even ALC. It might be the classic, well, if they make the Super Bowl, they’re they can activate this guy. If they make the World Series, maybe this guy can come back, which has happened before in recent history, but 2016, yes, I wouldn’t hang my hat on on that happening. and Issach Perez really is like the only, you know, I guess best case scenario rehab that we’ve gotten from the Astros this year. So, it’s also a little surprising in that way where it’s like, whoa, this actually worked out to where it’s on the low end of the projected miss time. Yeah, it feels like Paradis is going to be back. Hater, even though he’s still not throwing, his comments have made it sound like he could be back after the wild card round potentially. It seems like is a re-evaluation for haters. So, it is a we’ll just see. We’re letting the swelling die down like we’re he’s not throwing and then we’ll re-evaluate and again in a good scenario he can pitch in the playoffs. But there’s also to me a very real scenario where he’s still going to miss time after that. I like I would bet on her being back for the ALCS or the World Series over Yordon Alvarez. Yeah, at this point like if I had to pick one of them to return, I would guess it’s going to be hater, not Alfare. That I I’d put I’d put it about the same as you and I’d put I don’t know pretty coin flip odds on hater that he would come back and lower for Yordon. Let’s let’s entertain the before we get into the the normal everyday lineup of what it looks like with Esok Paris returning. How does it work in your mind as what if Yordon is back but he also can’t really run? Like what do you what are they doing? It’s I guess is it because if Paradis can’t run and Yordon can’t run like is it a Yordon faces righties, Paradis faces lefties or is it just Paris is not on the team he’s a pinch hitter at that point in the lineup? That’s kind of my guess is Alvarez is in Paradus is a pinch hitter late in games. I think that would be the way that would work because Yordon Alvarez isn’t a guy that has a a split righty lefty like that. You want him facing lefties, too. Like he’s very good lefty. So that I I don’t think you could do that. I mean, there probably will just be like some like days off thing where we’re talking about uh Pedes coming back and already building in off days from him dhing. Yeah. So, that that could answer some of the questions. I I think most likely though it would be what you laid out where it is dhordon and then pinch hit Pedes and then pinch on him after after after he gets a single then pinch on him. Yeah. It’s almost like like the way I kind like kind of in my mind I’m just like envision this is like okay you’re facing a lefty you’re facing a righty and Jesus Sanchez is in the game. Okay. And then you know Paradus comes in when it flips and then Cam Smith goes to right field. Yeah. To replace Jesus Sanchez at that point. And honestly probably just replaces Each Paris at first base. Like because that’s the Oh yeah. as the as the pinch runner. Yeah. Because that’s what I’m I’m actually most curious about with Eso Paradus’ return is okay. If it’s the sixth inning of a one- nothing game, you’re down one- nothing to the Mariners and he gets a let’s say he’s able to leg out a double somehow and he’s on second base. It’s a ground rule double. It’s a ground rule double. Yes. Let’s let’s do it that way. Ground rule double. So, he’s automatically on second base. It’s the sixth inning. So, you know, he’s guaranteed one more at bat. I’m guessing Joe Espatada yanks him in the sixth, but that thus eliminates your designated hitter the rest of the game. So, like it really like it puts you in this like weird situation where if you have in the playoffs if you can score early, you’re going to want to. But I don’t know. It just it’s it’s going to be really fascinating to see how the Astros handle this paradus thing with him actually being able to come back and potentially not be able to run that hard. Yeah, it it’s something where you just don’t know what it’s going to look like. You don’t know if it’s going to look at what we’re picturing where he can like lumber to one vase at a time and anything more than that it’s his legs going to fall off his off his body. Yeah. But right now that that’s I mean probably the most realistic thing to expect is that he’s going to go out there and be one of the slowest players in baseball because I really don’t want him at this point ramping it up and actually trying to leg out Yes. a double or trying to leg out scoring from second or going from first to third. I like the like game seven of the World Series, man. Like let that injury fall off the bone. Like push it to second base. I would even say just like game one of the World Series. I think you just let it let it loose. Also, at that point, we’re talking a month after he comes back. But I I think part I I just I want to see him hit first because he’s not going to have any rehab aside. So, he’s going to be looking at live pitching for the first time in the regular season and after the Mariners series that you do get the benefit of time of like, okay, you can just kind of let him do that. Yeah. But if it doesn’t look good, at what point are you not going to play him? Because if he can’t hit, what’s the point of this? I mean, I would say pretty quickly because I do think having, you know, a combination of Yiner Diaz and Victor Keratini and I guess and then Jos Altuve, all those guys kind of mixed in as like a catcher, DH, second baseman sometimes, one of them’s in the lineup, one of them’s and Altuve is a DH. I think that’s the better option if Paris isn’t hitting. I I think you just have to trust your gut. Like whatever we see over the next, you know, 10 days basically like like that’s Joe Spott is gonna have to trust it. And and frankly like if Paradis isn’t really rolling still having that quality of a bat even though he hasn’t seen live pitching much as a pinch hitting option for Dubon or someone in yeah the ninth eighth or ninth inning still does is still a really valuable resource for this team. So I think there will be there was a there will be a chance he can really impact this team. He has opportunities a and you know one thing of he doesn’t really need to swing the bat to have some impact on the team because what do we talk about or what have we talked about when they go through these scoring droughts is the quality of at bat that they have is so low that there it’s a lot of undisiplined hitters in the lineup. Isach Perez, one of the more disciplined players in all of baseball. He’s definitely the most disciplined current Houston Astros. So, I I think even in the like working a pitch count part of it or having a quality at bat like there is some element of that will be useful and just the you got to pitch to him differently. What what we’re talking about when Yordon came back of it affects the players around him in the lineup. That’s why getting uh the news that Pedes is coming back basically the day after that Yordon will miss significant time. It does leave you a little bit of like okay maybe he can just kind of fill that slot and be a slight a worse version of Y the Yordon that you’ve gotten for the last two weeks. Yeah. Yeah, I think the one thing will be interesting too is is I know there’s talking about, you know, DH off day, DH off day, but I do wonder if it will look more like because you have to I think you have to then factor in Jose Aluve of okay, if Jos Altuve, if you don’t really want him at second base with a ground ball pitcher, so Hunter Brown and Frra Valdez, you want your best defense behind those guys, well, that means Aluve has got to be probably your DH or in left field. But if he’s your DH, then Paris is off those days. So it might even be like where like Paris plays when Alexander and Javier Yeah. are on the mound and Altiv is the DH and you have Ramon Uurius at second base or Dubon at second base. So they’re gonna have a lot of options. I don’t think it’s going to look my guess is it’s not going to look the same dayto day either at least for the next, you know, 10 days. They’re going to really be creative assuming he’s actually coming back. And and like you said, the last, you know, five or so games of the season, assuming things go reasonably well and that it’s not a complete collapse that you’re going to be able to set up and give guys off days and set up your rotation and set up your lineup for, you know, either a wild card series or maybe if they, you know, best case scenario, things are working out, they do, uh, get that two seed that you can make it a little bit easier towards the end of the season where you’re being more liberal with the off days. Yeah, that is where Yeah, that’s a good point. I mean that like getting the two seed and having to not play those first three wild card games and be able to have another five or six days off and be able to give just paradus even more time. Yeah. And the, you know, two or three days before that of you can sit sit out for two of those days, you know, you can really really play this right. Uh if you get those wins necessary. Yeah, it’s going to be I don’t know. It’s going to be fascinating. I never thought we’d even be having these conversations when Paris got hurt. It seemed farfetched. Remember the initial report about the surgery was if he has to have surgeries out for like five to six months. Yeah. It was going to affect spring training. Yeah. Like it’s like is he going to be fully healthy for opening day? Yeah. Kind of a thing. And now it’s I mean worst case scenario is he does reinjure it obviously here. But I do think it’s worth the risk to be honest. I I think that’s why they’re doing it. I think Esacho Prais would tell you that. I know he’s under contract but because of what you have like it might dictate what you do in the offseason. I would like to see Eso Pradus as the everyday first baseman in 2026 and Christian Walker not be on this team. But if Praus were to get hurt again, you can keep Walker and you wait for the return of Paris and you make that move later on. Exactly. And you know again going down this path of and then you know God knows who else gets hurt in in the interviewing months of that. So yeah, I I think all things considered things have gone pretty well and that they’ve played this the right way. It’s just now comes the part of got to do it on the field and this this risk has to be worth it and I think it is worth it when we once you talk about the playoffs I think that you can be a little bit more fast and loose with this stuff because with Paris yeah with Pedes and I think with some arms too as far as like pitch counts go like we’re talking about we’re talking about the playoffs like this is what it’s all for is not for having him and extending his career and having the optimal usage. It’s about let’s try to win the games necessary to where we can lift a trophy at the end of the season. Yeah. Like blue ball is a good example, right? Like you’re if he’s at 50 pitches and he’s still got two outs left to go, but he’s been really really good. You’re not taking him out. Yeah. You’re going to let him finish the, you know, seventh inning or whatever it is. Hater is one that I gosh I I kind of want the Astros to be a little conservative with to be honest just because he is under contract for what three more seasons. you are relying on him being your closer next year. Like losing Josh hater for 2026 because arm injuries are so different. Like Yordon and Paris, those are more healable injuries. Yeah, it’s an ankle and it’s a hamstring. Yeah, we’re like hater. Yeah, it’s not Tommy John, but like it’s a shoulder. It’s a shoulder and it feels like that can lead to a Tommy John kind of a thing. And not having hater for 2026. So, yeah, if they’re gonna be aggressive, I think it’s what it’s the guys in the lineup more or less than it is Josh Hater. Um, all right. Let’s go through Let’s find out who’s on the trust tree. We’re just going to go through the players that you trust the most. Not just bullpen, not just starting pitcher, the players you trust right now to make a meaningful impact on the Houston Astros in the playoffs. So, your obvious ones are Pena, Koreah are your top two. Yep. I think Elu is there now the way he’s been playing recently. Like, I feel like that trust is back in Alt. Yes. And there’s some I’ve watched the last decade of Astros baseball. Yes. So, it’s gonna Sorry, it’s gonna take a little bit more to knock him off a uh top perch in the trust. Where are you at with the other guys in the lineup? I think Yer Diaz as far as you know the if we’re going to set it as a best of the rest because I think Pñena especially is kind of in a class of his own just how he’s performed all season. Uh, I think Koreah since he’s as he’s performed since becoming an Astro, his Patty never stopped to 295. Like, I mean, it’s and it’s the power that’s come back too that that’s been most amazing with uh with Korea and the fact that he hasn’t had to sacrifice the average to get that power back. So, I I think your or I think uh Yiner is also up there as far as guys in the lineup that I view as very trustworthy and guys I want to see batting in the top half of the lineup. I mean, I’ll throw in Jake Myers, too. I think especially when you factor in the defense, what he means to this team defensively, but the bat’s been good. His batting average this season still sitting above 300 at this point. Gosh, it’s such a different ball game in the American League this year. You know, there’s two players in the National League hitting above 300. really is it uh Arise and someone else? Trey Turner and Nicoer are the only two players in the national came above 300. The Astros have two in their everyday lineup right now, which is crazy. Um but yeah, I I’d throw Jake Myers in there as well. And I think that’s the list. Like while I like Victor Keratini and I like, you know, I like Cam Smith and Jesus Sanchez at times. I think at times is a nice way to put that. At times, um they’re not in the trust tree. No. No. Definitely. Definitely not with how they’ve performed in the in the batters box. And I’d throw Christian Walker who’s been very streaky this year, but I think that nets out as as far as I’m concerned as I don’t really trust this that much, especially when you’re talking about the play the postseason and the type of pitching you’re going to face there. Is Zack Cole in the trust tree? Unfortunately, I don’t think he’s eligible to Oh, he is. Yes. If you’re if you’re on the if you’re in the organization on September 1st, you’re eligible. Okay. I thought it I thought you had to be on the big league roster. No, I think I think I’m I’m pretty confident he’s eligible. Okay. I mean, he’s he’s up there. What a story. This kid’s been awesome. Yeah, he has been awesome. It is just the profile when he got called up was, you know, he swings and misses a lot, but when he connects, like he really connects. And in his first series as an Astro, I was like, “Oh, he’s connecting a lot. I like this guy.” And it’s continued to a pretty strong level. I mean, obviously not to, you know, the the rookie record for the Astros for RBI in a debut. Like, okay, it’s not quite that good, but he’s still he’s still been swinging it pretty nicely. And I think he’s I mean, he’s got to at least be on the bench, I think, when it comes to October. Uh, Christian Javier, probably not. Um, I don’t know why I said him first. Hunter Brown. Yes. Trust Tree. Yes. Number one, number one among pitchers of the starting pitchers. Is Jason Alexander number two? Yes. J Jason Alexander is the second most trustworthy Houston Astro. And it’s because of what he’s done the last basically since he had a bad start, which was one of his first starts as an Astro. Ever since then, he’s been I don’t know if it’s been the dictionary definition of a quality start, but it’s a start where as he’s getting pulled, you look at the at the line and you go, “Yeah, I’m fine with that. That’s great. And that I’m fine with that is really the worst case scenario. There’s a lot of times you’re like, I can’t believe he’s still doing this. I can’t believe he’s this good. And obviously, some of that has to do with RValdaz uh not having that number two spot locked down. Like I was saying with Jos Altuve, it’s going to take a lot for the guys that have the pelts on the wall to fall out of a top position in the trust tree. Well, Robert Valdez has really tested that since uh August, since the start of August. So, is he in yours? Uh he’s he’s either the last one or last one in or first one out. He’s on the bubble very much because there’s he’s hanging on to a branch. Yeah. There’s just a little bit of like I know it’s in there. I just I know it’s in there and you never know what you’re going to get with them. It’s the It’s the volatile relationship in your life where you’re like, you know, maybe it’s a chance it works out again. Yeah. He’s not I I can’t say he’s fully in the tree. Like he’s he’s he’s climbing up the tree. He’s hanging on by No, no, he’s not climbing up. If anything, he’s going down. There’s a there’s an arrow down. He’s he’s he’s slowly getting out of the tree. Yes. Yes. He’s he’s scared of heights and he’s getting out of the tree. He’s scooching down. I think it’s a scooch down. And it’s not like a fire pole, you know, slide. No. No. Oh, no. He’s not falling out, but I I think he’s working his way down, but there’s a chance what he probably has two more starts left this season. There’s a chance he can work his way back into the lower branches, especially with a start coming up against Seattle. You know, it’s like this this is a huge series to separate yourself again. And he’s been really good this year against the Seattle Mariners. He’s pitched uh 12 innings, given up only one earned run in those innings, 13 strikeouts. So against the Mariners this year, he’s been awesome in his two appearances. So if he can do a third one of those, that helps even more. So um especially if somehow you end up with a Mariners matchup in the first round of the playoffs. Like that’s the thing, too, is like it’s still very much on the table that like it could be the Red Sox or the Mariners. And technically the Guardians and the Rangers are still there. I think it’s more Guardians than Rangers at this point of who would potentially be coming to Houston if you win the West. And right now I think they’re in position to play the Yankees. So like there’s there’s a ton I mean it’s just such a jumbled mess because so many teams are not just in the wild card race but they’re also in a division race and then they’re in a race for the two seed versus the three seed versus the one seed. So there there’s a lot of combinations. I think we’re still too far away to, you know, think about who do you want to play and what what contemplate the matchups, but fradz when he’s right is someone who looks good against the Mariners. He’s someone who you feel good about against the Yankees. He’s been there, done that as far as beating those guys. So there is again if he can just put some good starts together and show that he still has good fro in him there’s a chance that he’s a very very useful piece for any kind of run that the Astros go on. All right, what about the bullpen? Brian Abrao uh blue ball I think is in the trust tree. Yeah, Brian Abrau it’s tough. It’s like he’s been nailed since that one really bad. Yeah. Yeah. And but the thing is in the playoffs kind of has to be in your trust tree. Yes, he does have to be in the playoffs though, you know how it goes with a reliever, especially a reliever. It’s one bad outing. For the rest of the playoffs, you’re like, “Oo, I remember that one bad outing.” And so it it’s it’s shaky. I do agree that he’s been good since he’s uh I I guess settled in to the closer role, although there are still some says where it’s it’s stressly like it is. It is not quite yet, like you said, has to be in the trust tree. And I think he’s close enough to get him in there. Are King and Ourt in your trust tree? I think King is for I think King is. I I I King more than Ourt. Yeah. But I think I think King is definitely in Okert Okert is tough. I I I don’t think he’s quite in there just in the fact of if it is a a you know game where say they pull whatever Hunter Brown in the sixth inning with one out and two on. Yeah. I’m not like boom, oh Kurt, we got this. I’m like there’s a chance he gives gives up a a walk and a bloop single and now this game’s looking very different. Yeah. And the other one I I want to I can’t put him in the trust tree because he’s pitched six and two/3 innings in his career, but I really like Jaden Murray. Like he hasn’t given up a run yet. Like I don’t know. There’s something when he’s out there. There’s something there. I’m like I like it might be a he’s going to be in my trust tree probably to start 2026. I think that I think that’s more but like I’m like I’m like okay like I I see it. I trust the Astros pitching staff for like that’s a lot of it. Yes, it’s a lot of it. That’s a lot of it is is is I’ve seen people like Jade Murray turn out pretty well for the Astros. See uh what how we’ve talked about Jason Alexander for the last couple weeks, but I don’t think he’s quite there yet. It just in the f I’m thinking of it as in a not super high leverage, but a pretty high leverage relief appearance in the playoffs for these guys. He’s He’s not quite there for me. And obviously D Santos, his last appearance was terrifying in the one against the Rangers. Deos Santos, no. Uh Craig Kbell, no. Yeah. Uh D Santos could he’s not he’s not in the tree definitely, but I can see him standing not far away from me. He can he can he can he’s got some I I I think he’s been it’s that’s been a a sneaky good move for the Astros. And again, I think it’s what you’re saying kind of with Murray there is do I want to see him come in with a with runner on first and second with one out or two outs? No. But if he’s out there in a playoff series and and he will be against 7 89 to start a fresh inning tied game seventh inning. I feel okay about that. Like I I it’s I don’t want He’s not a high leverage of trust, but he’s he’s doing okay for the Ash. It has to be a very sturdy branch that he’s on for me to feel good about it. Yeah, definitely. He’s not on the Dubon brand. Well, Dubon’s not in the tree. But Dubon’s light. Um I the player I would love to see in the tree the most would be Cam Smith. Like if anyone by the end of the postseason, you’re like, “All right, this kid has really arrived again.” But he did make us nervous the other day. I mean that play where Oh, the sliding catch. Oh. Oh, as he’s sliding in my mind, I’m like, “All right, the season’s over.” And he misses it. Yeah. I was like, it was such like the you can’t really calculate leverage in the middle of a play, but the second his knee hit the ground, you’re like, “Oh my god, this is this is the season right here.” And he and he’s he catches it. He grabbed it. And even he snow cones it a little bit, but he pops back up and you’re like, “There we go.” And I I think that kind of illustrates that Cam Smith for fielding and I think for base running, he’s on the trust. I trust him in there. It’s just with the bat and he is still just a rookie and like I understand all this. He’s still learning right field. Yes. Somehow he’s just takes to it. He’s taken to it much easier. And I think I you know when you brought him up as a defensive replacement for Jesus Sanchez, like yes, please. I I like his defense way more than I like Jesus Sanchez’s defense. Yeah, he’s Jesus Sanchez is definitely not a No. No. Not with the bat, not with the not with the glove either. No, that’s been a that’s been a disappointment of a trade. And it’s not like we’re sitting here grinding on Marlins games. So, it’s not like any Yeah. I’ve watched uh well, how many times they played the Astros this year? Two or three? Yeah. Three. Yeah. So, those will be the three times I watched the Marlins play this year. Uh that’s that’s pretty much it at that point. So, yeah. and and you know missing Ryan Gusto is not exactly like losing you know losing to some trade massive it’s not exactly the Carlos Gomez trade but there is a little bit of like especially a few weeks ago we’re like we could really use an arm right now and not someone who’s going one for 18 on those last 18 at bats. Yeah, it feels like with Jesus Sanchez, it’s either really really good or really really bad. It’s either disastrous plays in the outfield or robbing home runs. It’s either really clutch hits or going one for 18. Yeah. Or like 0 for 28 at one point or whatever it was. It was a disaster. It was bad. All right. He is Sean Mapes. You can find him on Twitter, Sean Aes. Catch him part of the Dell OA show weekdays here on ESPN 975 and 925 from 10 to noon. I’m Joe George. Catch me on Joe Jeremy and Joe. I almost put myself first again. Jeremy and Joe, sorry Jeremy. Uh 3 to 6 Monday through Friday. This episode is brought to you by Blueest Star Tequila, the world’s first and only night harvested tequila. You can find it near you at plenty of liquor stores and bars right here in Houston. Just go to bluestartsquila.com, go to the search bar, type in Houston, and plenty of places are going to pop up for you. It’s awesome. My wife and I use it for espresso martinis all the time. So, that will do it for us. We’ll talk to you guys next week, and we’ll have a clearer picture, I think, of what the Ashes look like. So, thanks for watching. Talk to you next week. base.

Will the Houston Astros take care of the Seattle Mariners and separate themselves in the AL West? Jose Altuve is back! Isaac Paredes nearing a return?? Do we actually trust Jason Alexander over Framber Valdez? All that and more on this episode of Inside The Ice Box.

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