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Jeremy Pe\u00f1a has proved to be a catalyst atop the Astros’ lineup for two straight seasons, but had an injury-marred 2026 and is heading into the last year of team control.<\/p>\n
Jason Fochtman\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n
Fourth in a series on the\u00a0Houston Astros<\/a>‘ 2026 season, which ended with an AL West title but a sweep in the opening round of the playoffs.<\/p>\n Shortstop<\/p>\n On May 18, Jeremy\u00a0Pe\u00f1a returned from a five-week injury absence<\/a> to a Houston Astros team 10 games under .500. From that date through the end of July, just four qualified American League hitters posted a higher OPS than the shortstop. On Aug. 1, the Astros were a game above .500 and atop the AL West.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n It illustrated Pe\u00f1a\u2019s impact as the Astros\u2019 sparkplug<\/a>. For a second straight season, Pe\u00f1a was one of Houston\u2019s most productive hitters, albeit with injuries and a late slump hindering his opportunity to mount a full encore to last year\u2019s All-Star campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n Carlos Correa, Nick Allen and Braden Shewmake were among those who filled in at shortstop in Pe\u00f1a\u2019s absence. Overall, the Astros extracted 4.8 wins above replacement at shortstop, per Baseball Reference, sixth-highest in the majors and their second-highest mark at a non-pitching position after DH.<\/p>\n What went right<\/p>\n When healthy,\u00a0Pe\u00f1a again proved a catalyst as a leadoff hitter. The Astros went 59-49 and averaged 4.8 runs per game with Pe\u00f1a in the starting lineup. When he was absent, they were 22-32 and averaged 4.1 runs per game.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a ranked third among Astros hitters in OPS-plus (124) and second in runs scored (82) while taking their sixth-most plate appearances. His average dipped 27 points and his OPS fell 38 points from last season. But he matched his 2025 slugging percentage (.477) and his career high of 22 home runs, the latter despite taking a career-low 447 at-bats.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Led by that production, the Astros ranked fourth in the majors in offensive bWAR at shortstop and fifth in weighted runs created-plus at the position. Their shortstops ranked third in slugging, fourth in batting average and first in runs scored. Correa contributed by posting an .802 OPS in his 91 plate appearances as shortstop.<\/p>\n Injuries were an issue for\u00a0Jeremy Pe\u00f1a in 2026.<\/p>\n Jason Fochtman\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n What went wrong<\/p>\n Various injuries limited\u00a0Pe\u00f1a to 112 games. He began the season building up from a fractured fingertip sustained in an exhibition with Team Dominican Republic and played in 10 games before a hamstring strain sidelined him for five weeks. He also had a 10-day IL stint for a calf strain in early July.<\/p>\n In the second half, Pe\u00f1a endured a brutal and prolonged slump. Over 35 games from Aug. 3 through Sept. 13, Pe\u00f1a batted .170 with a .518 OPS and a 32.7% strikeout rate. The Astros averaged 3.8 runs per game in that stretch. Pe\u00f1a then batted .353 with a 1.064 OPS in his final 12 games of the season.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n His defensive metrics, meanwhile, took a step backward. Pe\u00f1a, a Gold Glove winner in 2022, accrued a career-low minus-5 runs saved at shortstop, per Sports Info Solutions, and a minus-5 fielding run value, per Statcast. Both penalized his range. As a team, the Astros ranked 21st in runs saved at shortstop.<\/p>\n Number to note<\/p>\n 43.4%:\u00a0Pe\u00f1a\u2019s ground-ball rate, a career low.<\/p>\n For a time, elevating the ball more was a project for Pe\u00f1a. In his first four seasons, Pe\u00f1a\u2019s ground-ball rate twice topped 50% and did not dip below 47.7%. This year, Pe\u00f1a pared his ground-ball rate to 43.4%, while his average 13-degree launch angle on balls put into play jumped from a previous career high of 8.9, with the result being more chances to tap into his pop.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a matched his career high of 22 home runs in 74 fewer at-bats than it required in 2022. He paired his increased contact in the air with a career-high 48.2% pull rate for a duo conducive to power numbers.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n If deliberate, the approach may have come with some trade-off. Pe\u00f1a also chased out of the strike zone (39.3%) and swung-and-missed (31.8%) at career-high rates this season. His strikeout rate rose nearly 7 percent from last year to 24%. Against breaking pitches, his average (.195) dropped by 78 points and his whiff rate (44.8%) rose by 10 percent year-over-year, per Baseball Savant.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a also hit 10 home runs in his 159 at-bats ending on breaking pitches, meanwhile, compared to five homers in 187 such at-bats last season. Overall, he ranked in the 67th percentile of major-league hitters in expected slugging percentage\u00a0\u2014 he had not finished above the 58th percentile in any previous season\u00a0\u2014 perhaps indicating where he aimed to make strides.<\/p>\n If the Astros decide to trade\u00a0Jeremy Pe\u00f1a to help replenish their roster, Carlos Correa could be an option at shortstop.<\/p>\n Elizabeth Conley\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n Contract status<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a is entering his final season of salary arbitration eligibility and projected by MLB Trade Rumors to receive $13.1 million next season. As a homegrown star going into his last season under team control<\/a>, Pe\u00f1a is in the same situation as Kyle Tucker was when Houston traded the right fielder two winters ago, inviting the question of whether the Astros might follow a similar approach. (More on that later).<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Correa is signed through 2028, with a series of club options starting in 2029 that can vest based on plate appearances. Allen is entering his second year of arbitration eligibility and projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $1.8 million next season. Shewmake was designated for assignment in July, detoured to Milwaukee, then re-signed on a minor-league deal with Houston before the season ended.<\/p>\n Xavier\u00a0Neyens, the Astros’ 2025 first-round pikc, was a high school shortstop but finished last season in the minors playing third base<\/p>\n Rob Tringali\/MLB Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n In the minors<\/p>\n Several of the Astros\u2019 higher-ranked prospects are left-side infielders but still a ways off. Xavier\u00a0Neyens<\/a>, their 2025 first-round draft pick and a high school shortstop, notably played only at third base after a promotion to High-A Asheville this season. Albert Ferm\u00edn, the headliner of their 2026 international class, played in the Dominican Summer League this year.<\/p>\n Pascanel Ferreras, a 20th-round pick in 2023, reached Triple-A this season and led Sugar Land in games played at shortstop. Ferreras hit .305 with an .837 OPS in 71 games at Triple-A. Max Holy, a primary shortstop who had a .638 OPS in 90 games at Double-A, was named the Astros\u2019 minor-league defender of the year<\/a> by their player development department.<\/p>\n Jeremy\u00a0Pe\u00f1a and Jose Altuve have been a double-play combination for five seasons but the former is heading into his last year of team control.<\/p>\n Jason Fochtman\/Houston Chronicle<\/p>\n Key question<\/p>\n Are the\u00a0Astros willing to extend Jeremy Pe\u00f1a?<\/p>\n After the Astros\u2019 wild-card round exit, Pe\u00f1a declined to discuss his future but said: \u201cI love this city, I love everything about the Astros. Hopefully, I can be here long-term.\u201d<\/p>\n To make that happen could require the Astros to break from precedent. Under owner Jim Crane, the team has not awarded a contract longer than six years or larger than $151 million. Houston allowed homegrown stars Alex Bregman, Correa and George Springer to depart in free agency rather than deviate from an aversion to long-term megadeals.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a, entering his final season before free agency, has positioned himself to seek one. Among qualified shortstops, Pe\u00f1a ranks fourth in FanGraphs WAR and tied for second in weighted runs created-plus over the past two seasons. He is entering his age-29 season, owns a top-10 MVP finish and a World Series MVP award and plays a premier position.<\/p>\n No two contract situations are exactly alike. But for possible context, shortstops Trevor Story and Javier B\u00e1ez both signed six-year, $140 million deals in free agency before their age-29 seasons in 2022. Willy Adames landed a seven-year, $182 million deal before his age-29 season in 2025. Story had accrued 27 bWAR prior to his deal, Ba\u00e9z a 23.5 bWAR and Adames a 21.5 bWAR. Pe\u00f1a has a 22.2 career bWAR.<\/p>\n Pe\u00f1a is represented by agent Scott Boras, who has a history of clients reaching free agency. Jose Altuve, notably, is an exception who signed two nine-figure extensions with Houston.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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