If Cristian Javier gets shelled today, so help me…
Starting a season 0-2 is hardly a sign of things to come. There are 160 games left, for better or worse. I still like to think this roster is good enough across a full season to be competitive. But the results in the first two games of the 2026 season for the Astros have been, well, lacking. The lineup is currently 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position, scoring only two runs in the season’s first 18 innings. Five of the eight pitchers to have thrown in those two games have allowed at least one run.
To be clear, only two games. They will win again, sooner or later. Whether that happens today is anyone’s guess, though.
One way to ensure that your chances for victory improve is whether the starting pitcher has a good start, or at least a decent one. Javier still hasn’t recaptured his 2021-22 form, when he averaged nearly 94 mph on his infamous four-seam fastball. Time will tell whether he even gets back to that level. In Spring Training, his velocity was certainly on a roller coaster, but the highs for that time of year were somewhat encouraging. Of course, it would certainly help the Astros if he could even somewhat resemble that pitcher from a few years ago. Alongside Mike Burrows and Tatsuya Imai, those three hurlers might determine how realistic any notion of contention is.
For the second time in their first three games, Jeremy Peña is not in the lineup. This early in the season, I can appreciate the caution being exercised. Whether the rest of the order can answer the call is in question. To their credit, the lineup did make some louder contact against Yusei Kikuchi than José Soriano. But that’s a hollow point if the results don’t follow. Interestingly, we see Christian Walker a bit higher in the lineup, hitting fifth behind Carlos Correa. Jake Meyers is back in center field following the day off against Kikuchi on Friday, with Brice Matthews now sliding over to left field.
I’m most curious to see how Cam Smith and Yainer Diaz look at the plate, this time against Reid Detmers. Both have looked overmatched more times than not to start the season, especially against low pitches thrown in and out of the zone. Until proven otherwise, opposing pitchers will likely make that approach a focal point against them. For Smith, any prolonged struggles might prompt the organization to send him to Sugar Land to work on some stuff, especially if Zach Cole is producing with the Space Cowboys.
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