The Houston Astros have been one of the more interesting teams across baseball throughout the entire season.
After a very slow start to the year, Houston stormed back to put itself into playoff position. But the team is barely clinging to a record above .500, with the Astros holding a 63-62 mark right now.
Despite this, the Astros are in first place within the American League West division, leading the Texas Rangers by two games. But with the club holding on by a thread, the urgency from this group has been multiplied as the stretch run begins.
Manager Joe Espada has tried to keep his guys ready all year, but this team has shown massive inconsistency. And if things don’t change, the organization may be heading for some big changes down the line.
Joe Espada on the Hot Seat
In his latest column, MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today revealed that if the Astros were to miss the playoffs, the team could move on from Espada.
“In the American League, Seattle Mariners manager Dan Wilson is expected to be fired if the Mariners miss the playoffs, and the same goes for Houston Astros manager Joe Espada,” Nightengale reported.
Espada has a record of 230-203 as the manager of the Astros after taking over ahead of the 2024 season. The manager led Houston to an AL West title in his first year, but the team lost in the wild-card series to the Detroit Tigers.
The Astros have underperformed over the last few years, but it’s not all Espada’s fault. Houston has a collection of talented players, and the organization is looking to avoid missing the playoffs for a second straight season.
But at this point, the Astros’ best chance to reach the postseason will be by winning the division due to their record. Anytime a team has to rely on a wild-card spot, it can become tricky as the year winds down.
Can the Astros Reach the Playoffs?
The Astros have two very “winnable” series coming up over the next six games. Houston will be hosting the Los Angeles Angels and Athletics, with both teams sitting toward the bottom of the standings.
This could offer Houston a chance to pad some wins, but the team will need to take advantage of the situation. If they can’t, the outlook for both the remainder of the year and for Espada will be as bleak as it has been all season.
Following these series, Houston will get a matchup with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, and Chicago White Sox. Each of these teams can cause problems, so the Astros will need to bring their A-game each time out.
The clock is ticking on the Astros for the season, even with the slight lead in the division. Texas has the talent to get going, and they are right behind Houston in the standings.
If Houston isn’t careful, they could be sitting at home when the playoffs kick off once again. And if this were to happen, the organization would likely have other issues to address, such as finding a new manager.
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