Houston Astros Obituary by Htown Wheelhouse

eight consecutive postseasons at 1.7 consecutive ALCS appearances, four American League pennants, two World Series titles, seven ALOS championships, 99 playoff games, a lot of champagne, a lot of celebration, two parades. It has been an amazing time. From 2017 to 2024, the Astros were the most feared team in the American League. Hated by all, the Houston Astros continued to grind. But 2025 ended in a way that Astros fans haven’t seen a season end since 2016. But when we look back on the 2025 Houston Astros season, one thing is crystal clear. This wasn’t a year where the team was outplayed. Well, in the end of the season they were, but this really was the year where they never had their team on the field. From the start, the pitching staff was decimated. Spencer Aragetti barely made seven starts before going down. Rennell Blanco, Brennan Walter, and Hayden Wiseski all hit the Tommy John conveyor belt before the summer began. Luis Garcia, who worked so hard to come back from his own Tommy John, only lasted two starts before his elbow gave out again. And even Lance McCuller’s Jr. after missing two full seasons was in and off the IIL all year. That’s five starting pitchers gone. Christian Javier tried to make a valiant comeback. He was up and down in his return. JP France never made it back. The list goes on. In the bullpin wasn’t spared either. Josh her the anchor who was perfect through most of the season missed the last two months. That hurt. Caleb Ort and Bennett Sosa both lost chunks of a stretch rung. And a guy named John Rooney didn’t even make it out of April. By September, this team was asking Triple A Arms to get outs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth inning and make starts. And it wasn’t just the ARMS. The lineup was a revolving door. Yordon Alvarez, the heart of the order, only played 48 games. The hand injury hampered him all season long. Late, unfortunate, the ankle injury as he crossed home plate and twisted his ankle. Then Esoch Parades at one point was the club’s leader in home run and RBI would go out until valiantly trying to come back with a hamstring that was not 100% to try to help this team get over into the playoffs for a ninth straight consecutive year. It didn’t work. Jeremy Pñena and Brennan Rogers also each missed big pieces of the season, leaving the infield without a steady core. Now, Carlos Koreah did come back, but it was a little bit too late. The outfield, at one point, it felt like every single guy, Chaz McCormack, Jake Myers, Taylor Trmell, Zack Denzo, Jacob Melton, all spent time on the shelf. This wasn’t baseball. This was survival. Yet, through all of it, the Astros never quit. They fought, they scrapped, and they stayed in the mix longer than most clubs could have. with this many key players in the trainers room that speaks to the culture to the fight and to the depth that this organization still has. Now, before you go off on the fact that I said the depth, I’m talking about the players on the field, the players that they had, the men that put on the uniform, who put on the spikes. They had enough to go out there and win. If you win 90 games, you’re in the playoffs. These injuries did hurt this team, but let’s be honest, 2025 will go down as a season that Houston never saw the full roster. Not the real Astros, not the team that was built. And while that stings, it also sets a stage for 2026. Because if even half of these guys get healthy, the Astros window isn’t closed. It’s waiting to bust right back open. But when it bust right back open, who will and who won’t be in an Astros uniform? Does Jopata keep his job? Will Fber Valdez return? I think Farmer Valdez returning is a lot less likely than Jopa returning because no matter whether you liked his managerial calls or not, he kept the ship afloat. Some people said they won in spite of him. But Jim Crane and Dana Brown and those in the front office will have to make those decisions. Do they look to change up a pitching coach situation? Are they looking to bring someone up in the minor leagues to replace the guys at the major leagues if they decide to part ways? At the end of the day, when you don’t make the postseason after going to a postseason for eight consecutive years and a decline for a second consecutive year in the playoffs, then you have to wonder what changes will be made. for Locked on Astros. We’re not changing. We’re not going anywhere. Eric and I love this show. We love our followers. We love our listeners. We thank you so much for helping us grow to 15,000 this year. We will be around during the playoffs to talk baseball. We will be around during the playoffs to talk next season, to talk off season. So stick with us. Remember, no show does more. from myself, from Eric Heisman, and everybody at Locked on Astros. Remember, we’re your team every single day. Go.

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-astros/

Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More
🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/

#Astros #HoustonAstros #MLB

34 comments

  6. Better draft spot next season the team shapes up well for the future it’s been real but this ship will submerge yet again. Also the med staff needs an overhaul first and foremost they are the problem with players not feeling quite right after injuries and them being placed into games early or the misdiagnoses that happen Brandon Walter getting Tommy John after two months on the IL come in fix that first.

  8. It’s a testament to their culture of winning that they even had a chance to make the playoffs with all of the injuries throughout the season.

    I’m looking forward to next season.

  9. I can’t stand people getting all down about a team that has been rittled with injuries. It wasn’t even that our players sucking. They were just hurt. Coming back healthy next year.

  11. Ok, let's be clear… this team actually had a great season to be so decimated, but the question is, how did this team reached this point?

    Last year there were clear signs that the medic staff wasn't up for the task… we had at least 2 aces that had neck sorenes… then put them right back and then tommy jhon… Garcia have had the longest TJ recovery in baseball history he comes back and last 2 games…. somehow they managed to have even worse treatment with yordan than the clown act the put last year with tucker…

    But let's go further….Last year we had a massive luck that a guy that wasn't even good… that was working in a car wash had the season of his live… also some rookies had a rally decent year and Brown really picked up in the second half.,.. how come if we knew we were really lucky last year we didn't reinforce the starting line-up…. but the gods of baseball were kind to us and we had some very strong first half with a decimated team and somehow we not only decide to not get any solid starter but top expend 30 mills yearly in Correa? i mean Crane is super super cheap… and the time he decides to expend he makes the dumbest buys ever…

    WHo is in fault… i really dont give a damn about Espada right now, even when i think he is a terrible manager… but the guy who is at fault is Dana Brown… and crane i assume… how come as soon as tucker and bregman leaves the team the had some really solid seassons in two different teams and as soon as walker comes in he shots down and there wasn't any sign of recovery? shouldn't we at least question the batting staff??? they made Altuve have this weird approach at the start of the seasson and the guy was batting 200… then the medic staff OMG…. Houston has one of the most advanced medic facilities IN THE WORLD and somehow the houston astros has the worst medic staff in MLB??

    Even as i love this team and it hurts that they are eliminbated im happy…. im sick that Crane and Brown keep getting their way with dumb decisions and dumb expending and never makes the changes they have to do…. Now we gotta face that Hunter Brown is gonna leave… also Valdez…. so this team sadly is doomed…. probably they will blame altuve and give him away and hope they do so so the astroboy actually has a chance to finally top most cathegories in playoffs because sadly he won't do so with a team that won't make it to the playoffs cos the owned and the staff dumb decisions

  13. Well said Brett…Yall keep up the great work…I believe there will surely be management changes for sure…2 yrs of decline in winning record and player morale..something has got to give..

  14. And Yordan Alvarez and Jeremery Peña kept faking injuries. But at least Peña play very well and hard when he does,unlike Alvarez that even though is agreat hitter but he is way too soff and it seems AS IF he is MADE OF GLASS. Thanks a lot for your great show.

  28. I was hoping the Astros were going to knock the Tigers out, but they did the same thing as the Tigers and fell apart. This coming from a Detroit fan, I just don't think the Tigers will do anything in the playoffs again this year.

  29. Have to agree the astros are still a very strong team. Getting healthy is key going forward also they will make a move or 2 or even a free agent or two they will be back next year. To be where they are is simply amazing considering they were basically minus 2 a minor league level starting rotation. Losing one of the leagues best closers down the stretch plus losing three of their best bats and still have a winning record wow. Batting coach needs to be gone at the min at the coaching level 30 second clock needs a relook far too many arm injuries league wide. If they can get a min of two SP this offseason (good that is) perhaps another BP piece they will be back into the playoffs if not another world series appearance. Go Stros!

  31. So we’re writing off the golden era because we missed out one time. I understand we’re all upset because the Astros are out but I wouldn’t say that the era is over. We had a lot of setbacks in an anemic offense, but it’s OK because next year we’ll just pick up where we left off the year before. Forever orange and blue ❤

Leave a Reply