r/Astros • u/rsgreddit • 2d ago
This may be the last playoff Astros game we may see in the next several seasons
I’m going to make a grim prediction that G2 of the Wild Card 2026 is the final Astros playoffs we may see in 6-7 seasons.
The fact that the old core players are aging, and the new core developing like Cam Smith are going to have to go through several manager changes and different offense and defensive styles this may hamper their growth.
Also it’s pretty clear Bagwell while once a great player doesn’t have the skill for the front office so as long as he’s involved we ain’t touching the WS.
Our glory days are over.
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u/_Liet_Kynes Orbit 2d ago
6-7 years? What AL west games have you been watching?
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u/ThorgoodThe3rd 2d ago
My only concern is the LAA finally realizing they can spend some money. Doubt tho
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u/Internal-Agent4865 2d ago
Man. Crazy how so many fans in this sub have such low baseball IQs. It’s sad really that us being spoiled for a decade has resulted in this type of fanbase.
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u/Ok-Commercial7310 2d ago
Then explain what you are seeing with this roster. Alvarez just had a healthy, MVP season and they went 81-81. That’s not likely to repeat and there’s very little help on the way.
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u/wayua84 Houston Astros 2d ago
It's not about just our roster. It's about how the entire AL West is dogshit
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u/bordomsdeadly Houston Buffalos 1d ago
Seattle has a decent baseball team but is ran poorly.
I wouldn’t count them out to take the division next year.
The real test for how good this team is going to be is whether or not Crane wants to shell out in free agency. There’s some bats that could certainly lengthen our lineup even if we aren’t going to be able to make any massive pitching moves. If Crane cheaps out in free agency though, it likely means we aren’t going to have to go through a few years of rebuilding
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u/Charming-Respond-775 1d ago
This roster was plagued with injuries throughout the whole year. From start to literally the finish we had starting pitchers out on injuries. Losing Okert and lastly Javier was the nail in the coffin. Our outfield was basically made of AAA caliber players…and yet still we finished 81-81.
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u/Ok-Commercial7310 1d ago
Replacing injured AAA players with healthy ones. Don’t see the difference. The Astros’ outfield has looked like that for years now.
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u/Charming-Respond-775 1d ago
Obviously upgrades need to be made - we have the flexibility to do so. The saving grace of crane’s philosophy of no long term contracts.
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u/ArbysPokeKing86 2d ago
We started the season 20-31 and managed to squeeze into the playoffs yet again, with quite a few injuries along the way. If we get a few decent free agents, how are we not in the running for the super weak AL West again, and therefore in the running for the playoffs?
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u/Guilty_Pineapple_557 Alex Bregman 2d ago
If we get a few decent free agents and we get a consistently good return on the field, plus if they could stay as healthy as humanly possible, and all of that works together smoothly and seamlessly, I could see us running through the playoffs. But with how bad our division is, if we could run away with it with a sizable gap and end the season with a record up to par with decisive contenders, then better
We also have to address starting pitching. I think that's the primary reason for having overworked the pen. And unlike the trade deadline, the front office should have more options now
Even then, free agent signings are risky. José Abreu was, in my opinion, a good signing on paper, I just don't think it reflected well on the field for the time we had him
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u/ArbysPokeKing86 2d ago
By running through the playoffs, do you mean making it far? Because I agree, we need a lot of pieces to fall into place to make a good run. But I think we could still make the playoffs 2-4 times over the next 6-7 years that OP mentioned with just a little bit of luck in the free agent department, given how weak our division is right now.
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u/Guilty_Pineapple_557 Alex Bregman 2d ago
I meant making it far lol. Far enough that it feels like we're in the conversation about being a World Series-caliber contender again
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u/ArbysPokeKing86 2d ago
Hopefully we get some early luck, because I would love to see those days again sooner than later.
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u/Internal-Agent4865 1d ago
It may be better if you think more dynamically. If they march the same roster and front office out there next year or in 27 it will likely be a minor bump in record (5 games or so).
But it’s Crane and he’s likely to clean out the front office and ideally get someone who is more analytics based in while freeing up salaries from Pena, Hader, Walker and maybe Paredes.
Ideally see what you can get from our current pitching staff and replace the outfield or at least let the young guys not named Trammel develop.
Reading what I said I’m not sure where you got “same roster” from.
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u/klickklackklamps 2d ago
lowest iq fan base in the league unfortunately
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u/Internal-Agent4865 2d ago
I think I’d put the Yankees and dodgers lower just because of popularity but yes we are pretty low.
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u/Guilty_Pineapple_557 Alex Bregman 2d ago
I also think it has something to do with how we think and maybe how much emotional investment we have. Could be wrong
I'm pretty much a spoiled fan - my first full year of fandom and I saw a World Series win - honestly didn't expect it coming. I think it's also this environment too that reinforces a certain way of thinking where people will just have the strongest conclusions that evidence might not warrant, even more binary, more mutually exclusive choices sort of way of thinking at times
Over time, I've learned how to regulate my own reactions to what happens in this team because at the end of the day, can I control what happens to this team? No. What I can control is how I react and what I can do or say about it
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u/Hefty-Reflection-756 2d ago
Even full rebuilds dont usually take 6-7 years. You are just upset because of the loss and over reacting.
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u/daniboyoh 2d ago
We made it without a winning record... That should tell you how bad we could be and still top out in this division..
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u/MSgt_Jeff Houston Astros 2d ago
There is an old baseball adage: every team wins 54 games, and every team loses 54 games. Its what happens in the other 54 that really matter, and with baseball being baseball, plenty of things can happen. I dont see us getting to the playoffs every year for the next while, but we are still good enough I'd say for about a 50% chance over the next handful of years.
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u/yaampa 1d ago
I think we can be contenders next year but it's gonna require some heavy reflection from the FO.
Crane's been adamant about keeping us under the tax to reset the penalties. Well, Crane, we finished under the tax this year, time to put up the money for some big free agents.
That, and the FO needs an overhaul. Get some guys from analytics-heavy FO's like Tampa or Cleveland to run the show, and I'll have some faith. But then again, a part of me bets he'll be okay with GM Bagwell and Manager Ausmus for the foreseeable future.
In that case, we're absolutely fucked lmao.
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u/HalliganAx3 Houston Astros 2d ago
Maybe games will be a little more affordable for a little bit, silver lining
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u/HumanRuse 2d ago
The next GM is gonna have to be clever. Pushing $200M next season. The defense this season was much worse compared to last season. The only players that would bring back anything close to top prospects are the few who are keeping the team afloat.
And man I know the 2nd to last wave of prospects weren't rated high nor were they rated above average (outside of Cam) in terms of Hit profile but who is responsible once they hit the bigs. Is it just them or can someone help them tweak things because there just seems to be a trend..
Cam Smith - .222/.294/.375
Brice Mathews - .195/.250/.352
Zach Dezenzo - .234/.297/.349
Jacob Melton (while w the Stros) - .157/.234/.186
Luis Baez - Released
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u/aotex 2d ago
I predict we will not see another MLB playoff game in Houston for at least eleven, if not twelve months.