In the case of constructing a staff, to what extent do the Astros look to kind an identification, versus merely buying the perfect gamers attainable? Houston common supervisor Dana Brown didn’t particularly reply that query when it was posed to him on the GM Conferences in Las Vegas, however he did provide some insights into the staff’s identification itself. On the heels of a 2025 season during which his membership scored its fewest runs since 2014 (save for the truncated COVID marketing campaign), Brown cited the necessity to rediscover a part of what made them a perennial postseason participant.
“We misplaced a bit of our identification final season,” Houston’s prime exec informed me. “We obtained away from working deep counts [and] hitting for slug. These are issues we have to get again to, and that’s why we made a change within the hitting space. We needed new voices. In order that’s going to be our identification. Our identification is slug, have deep counts, catch the ball, and actually pitch.”
The change Brown referred to was changing hitting coaches Alex Cintrón and Troy Snitker with Victor Rodriguez and Anthony Iapoce, every of whom brings years of expertise and a popularity of working nicely with hitters. Additionally notable was the promotion of Dan Hennigan to director of hitting/offensive coordinator. As reported by MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, Brown believes that Hennigan “will assist us from an analytic and information standpoint when it comes to getting ready and game-planning. It’s an entire overhaul of how we did issues.”
Overhaul apart, having proficient and wholesome hitters within the lineup definitely wouldn’t harm. Together with dropping Alex Bregman to free company and buying and selling Kyle Tucker to the Cubs — two stalwarts on current Astros groups — Houston had a few of its greatest bats land on the injured listing in 2025. Brown did point out accidents as a contributing issue to the downturn, however it was nonetheless the “early contact and never making pitchers work” that he appeared most involved about. Reiterating what he stated on the onset of our dialog, Brown said that his membership had misplaced a bit of its identification and “the plan is to regain it.”
I requested Brown whether or not the Astros had misplaced something on the pitching aspect.
“Aside from accidents, I assumed our pitching did nicely,” replied Brown, whose staff additionally noticed a variety of arms land on the shelf over the course of the season. “I believe we have been second in baseball in strikeouts behind the Dodgers. The younger guys who stepped up for the blokes who have been harm got here in and did an excellent job. We pitched nicely sufficient to get to the postseason. However we pale bat-wise down the stretch with out Yordan [Alvarez] when he obtained harm the second time. We misplaced Yordan, [Jeremy] Peña, and [Isaac] Paredes all on the similar time for a month, and form of misplaced the identification of our offense. It confirmed within the win-loss column.”
The Astros completed the season 87-75, in the end falling simply wanting the postseason; it was the primary time they’d failed to succeed in the playoffs since 2016. A scarcity of offensive manufacturing was certainly an enormous motive for that — Houston was third within the junior circuit for pitcher WAR — so bettering in that space would go a great distance towards them enjoying October baseball in 2026.
How a lot will the “full overhaul” really assist Brown’s staff reestablish its identification and get again to being the staff that led the American League in each runs scored and slugging proportion from 2017 to 2024 (it was eighth in each classes this yr)? That’s an excellent query. Whereas the brand new voices will definitely present worth, getting greater than 199 plate appearances from Alvarez would arguably have an excellent larger impression. Furthermore, upgrading at a place or two, be it within the free agent market or by way of commerce, would additionally go a great distance towards reaching Brown’s said aim.
Buying and retaining the perfect gamers attainable — ditto having them stay wholesome — is a tried and true recipe for achievement. It’s far simpler to have a desired identification when you’ve gotten these issues going for you. Brown is aware of that, in fact. As for his choice to go in a distinct path with Houston’s hitting group — this for the supposed function of returning to they have been — solely time will inform if the modifications bear fruit. Then once more, correlation doesn’t suggest causation. No matter the way it comes about, the Astros need their outdated identification again.