The injury bug has hit hard, and the damage is done to both pitchers and position players. Seven starting pitchers are out, including Lance McCullers Jr., Cristian Javier, Spencer Arrighetti, J.P. France, Brandon Walter, Hayden Wesneski, and Ronel Blanco. Key everyday hitters like Isaac Paredes, Jeremy Pena, Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers, Brendan Rodgers, and Luis Guillorme are also out. The front office is now trying to keep track of injury timeframes and how urgent trades are.<\/p>\n
And when the roster is not healthy, it reflects on the scoreboard. July has been tough on offense. The Astros lost four straight home games to the Oakland Athletics, scoring only seven runs and going 3-for-29 with runners in scoring position against a weak pitching staff. Their offense faltered at key moments. And the losses weren\u2019t limited to A\u2019s. They also lost against Seattle, and Texas compounded their struggles. The skipper has also observed and is aware of the struggles.<\/p>\n
After the 7-1 setback on Sunday, manager Joe Espada couldn\u2019t hide the reality. He told the reporters, \u201cThe injuries, they\u2019re part of where we\u2019re at right now as a club. But that\u2019s no excuse. We\u2019ve got to fight through this. And we\u2019ve been fighting through this \u2026 And while we wait for some of those players to return, we have to find ways to win games.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, if the front management doesn\u2019t act quickly, what was once a season of promise could turn into one of caution. Altuve\u2019s comments weren\u2019t demands; they were a whisper of trust, conviction, and gentle insistence. Luckily, it looks like the front office has a well-structured plan for what they want.<\/p>\n
Astros eye lefty power with deadline looming<\/p>\n
The Astros\u2019 GM, Dana Brown, has made it clear that offense comes first when it comes to trades. His main focus is enhancing the lineup. He said, \u201cIf we can get a bat, it would be really good for this team, particularly a left\u2011handed bat \u2026 the priority is getting some more offense.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Meanwhile, pitching is also under his radar, only if a good starter is available. However, the lopsided right-handed lineup made left-handed power the main focus. As per Brown, adding a lefty would have an instant effect, with talents like Jeremy Pe\u00f1a, Isaac Paredes, and Yordan \u00c1lvarez in IL, and their return timeline is still up in the air.<\/p>\n