Baseball is Back -- 4 Things to Watch as the Astros Return to Play

Photo Courtesy of Brian Blanco/Getty Images

With Major League Baseball and the Players Association coming to an official agreement on a return to play, the Houston Astros have had less than a month to prepare for a 60+ game run that hopes to end in a World Series Championship in 2020. With the official return date looming in late July, here are a few things to keep an eye on as the Astros return to the field.

1. The Starting Rotation

It's no secret that the top of the Astros' current rotation is getting up in years--ace Justin Verlander is 37, while Zack Greinke will turn that same age in late October of this year. Additionally, Lance McCullers Jr. is returning from a year in which he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery, and the presumed fourth man, newcomer José Urquidy, has little pitching experience in the major leagues, despite impressing in last year's World Series. The team hasn't even decided on a fifth starter yet.

The 60-game season changes things dramatically for the team, however. The normal 162-game season represents one of professional sports' hardest marathons, and it is always a struggle to maintain peak physical and mental form during that long stretch of baseball. That goes double for when a team earns a playoff berth and has to potentially play around 20 or more games in high-pressure environments. With roughly 100 less games to be played this season, however, staying fresh and engaged during the season represents a much less daunting task for the Astros' pitching staff. The older guys in Verlander and Greinke won't have to worry about fatigue as much, and there's less of a worry for McCullers Jr. to potentially burn himself out after such an extended period of rest.

Additionally, new manager Dusty Baker is known to have a tendency to ride his starting pitchers for as long as he can into games. With a shortened schedule, Baker won't have to be as cautious when considering the long-term effects of utilizing his starting pitchers to a greater extent. Look for the new Astros manager to be more aggressive in how he uses his starting rotation.

2. The Astros' Health

On the topic of Dusty Baker, the new manager stated to the Houston Chronicle that while he was excited to begin managing the team, he was also wary of the risk involved with being outside as an at-risk citizen in a virus hotspot like Houston. "I'm a bit nervous, but I should be nervous... I've seen the reports in Houston of how [COVID-19] has gone up," Baker told the Chronicle. "I'm going to have to be really careful."

Baker isn't the only member of the organization who will have to exercise caution. Third-base coach Gary Pettis is 62. Pitching coach Brent Strom will be turning 72 in October. Positions within the organization that commonly interact with the players--the strength and conditioning coaches, athletic trainers, and rehab coordinators--will also be forced to remain vigilant in how they go about assisting the players while also adhering to the the 101-page list of health and safety protocols the league established upon its return.

Of course, the players themselves will have to adapt to the new guidelines as well. It's a precarious situation for a majority of them--while most (if not all) of the players are outside of the at-risk age that is primarily affected by the virus, it hardly exempts them from the dangers involved with unknowingly spreading it. Players spend a good deal of time around each other, and even if one person contracts COVID-19 without their knowing, it wouldn't be very hard to spread the virus around to other players and members of the organization.

Some of the Astros have already felt the effects of the virus in summer training camp. Multiple scheduled practices have been canceled on account of test results being delayed. Certain players, like Alex Bregman and George Springer, have been forced to sit out while waiting for the league lab to return their personal results to them. Multiple players have also expressed concern for how the virus may affect them in their personal lives away from the game (Carlos Correa and Josh Reddick, for instance).

In terms of baseball, contracting the virus would mean being immediately placed in self-quarantine, which would naturally mean that any player with the virus wouldn't be able to play. A scenario in which a player tests positive during a pivotal stretch of games isn't all that unlikely. It will be interesting to see how the virus potentially impacts not just the Astros, but the entire league going forward.

3. Potential Retaliation

Despite everything that has happened during the last few months--the virus, the contract disputes, and other non-baseball proceedings in the country--baseball has by no means forgotten about what the Astros did during the 2017 season. Even now, any news regarding the team is bombarded with spiteful baseball fans vehemently slandering the team, and a wave of skepticism follows even the most innocent and well-intentioned actions by the players and the staff. Hatred for the Houston Astros is still alive and well; demeaning comments insulting the players' careers (and in some unfortunate cases their personal lives) litter their personal accounts, troll accounts number in the thousands of followers, and even Major League Baseball is reluctant to report on any Astros news or showcase any of the players or team highlights in their promotional media.

Whether or not the hate is justified varies by individual, but what this presents going forward is as difficult a situation as it is volatile. Boos and jeers smattered the team's initial spring training outings, and players of opposing teams weren't shy with reprimanding the team (names like Cody Bellinger, Aaron Judge, and Mike Clevinger come to mind). Now, however, more than three months have passed since the Astros' first public outing, during which a raging conflict regarding contract disputes between the team owners and the players took center stage. An issue larger than personal vendettas broke out, which essentially forced all M.L.B. players under a shared sentiment against M.L.B. owners. For a time, the Houston Astros were briefly allowed entry back into the circle of professional baseball players.

Regardless of the conflict against the owners having any bearing on the likelihood of opposing players liking the Astros again (some players, like the Red Sox' Chris Sale, acknowledge that what the Astros did was wrong but have vowed to move past it rather than take direct action against the team), the season promises to be a testing one for the Astros. Though spectators may not be in attendance--which was a huge draw for the opposing fans in a chance to mock the Astros in visiting ballparks--it isn't too farfetched to believe that some opposing players are resolved in retaliating against the Astros this season. Whether it comes in the form of beaning them, shenanigans in the box, or mocking celebrations against them during victories or on social media, the ways in which potential gamesmanship may be employed are numerous.

The Astros themselves have, naturally, taken different approaches to how they handle the criticism. The more vocal players, like Carlos Correa and Lance McCullers Jr., have met the insults head on and continue to defend themselves against the more vocal critics. Others, like José Altuve and George Springer, have remained silent. The potential effects of the longstanding negativity surrounding the team will certainly be monitored going forward.

4. The Future Astros

Though the Astros are primed for yet another run at a World Series this year, now might be the time to begin considering how the future of the organization may look. The top of the pitching rotation is getting older, as mentioned earlier. George Springer and Josh Reddick are free agents at the season's end along with Michael Brantley, who isn't getting any younger. Yuli Gurriel, for as great as a low-key find as he's been since coming to the Astros in 2016, is 36.

The depth within the organization has thinned a little after the deals made to acquire stars like Verlander and Greinke, but there's still plenty of talent to work with. Kyle Tucker impressed in doses during his invitation to the bigs last year, and it's expected that he'll see a fair amount of time in the outfield this season. He'll likely be joined by speedster Myles Straw, who played a pivotal role as a pinch runner and extra outfielder last season. Reigning Rookie of the Year recipient Yordan Álvarez will return to his role as the designated hitter, a position he shined in last year.

With the 60-player roster expansions allowed to all baseball teams during the modified summer training camp, there's a fair chance we'll get to see some newer faces impress in some spots as well. On the pitching side, top prospect Forrest Whitley is looking to impress after an eventful past few seasons in the minors involving injuries. Though the rotation is mostly set, there is a fair amount of intrigue surrounding the fifth starter spot, which could go to any of either Josh James, Framber Valdez, or the newly-signed Austin Pruitt. Bryan Abreu could also potentially make some noise during camp as well, and make a surprise push for the fifth spot.

For the bullpen, there isn't expected to be much turnover, but some spots remain a mystery. Reliever Ryan Pressly and closer Roberto Osuna remain as effective a one-two combo as any in baseball, and it's expected to stay that way this season. Most of last year's bullpen is set to return as well, which includes Joe Smith, Brad Peacock, Joe Biagini, Chris Devenski, and Cy Sneed. They will likely be joined by the losers of the competition for the fifth rotation spot. With as right-heavy as the bullpen already is (the only lefties on the active pitching staff are McCullers Jr. and Valdez, both of whom are considered starters), there is some potential that newly-acquired lefty Blake Taylor could squeeze himself into the 30-man roster. Keep an eye on Cionel Pérez, who has pitched in some spots for the Astros as well.

On the hitting side, the catching situation seems to be something worth monitoring going forward. Martín Maldonado and Dustin Garneau are expected to split time at the backstop this year, but don't be surprised if Garrett Stubbs makes a push for a third catcher spot. Though he only had 35 AB's the season prior, he's expected to develop into the future of the catching position for the Astros, and the expanded rosters present a great chance for him to garner some more experience at the big league level. Stubbs hit .200 with 2 RBI's in 2019.

The infield is as loaded as it has been in years prior. Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa are a lethal defensive tandem, and Altuve and Gurriel are set to command a stout second and first base, respectively. Aledmys Díaz returns as the versatile every-man, and will fill in as needed. There are a good amount of bubble players worth taking a good look at--Jack "Superjack" Mayfield showed promise in his few AB's last year, and Abraham Toro is expected to serve as an effective backup for Bregman at third. Minor league fan-favorite Alex De Goti could also make a splash during the summer training camp, along with his Round Rock teammate Nick Tanielu.

The outfield is set to follow Michael Brantley in left field, George Springer in center, and Josh Reddick in right. Kyle Tucker will likely fill in for Reddick occasionally, and left field could see Yordan Álvarez and Myles Straw splitting time with the aging Brantley. There isn't much of an expectation that a surprise candidate will join the outfield core.

With as odd a season as this one, it might not be so strange to see a few younger Astros surprise the rest of the league. It could be a good chance to potentially develop the future of the organization during this shortened season.