With less than a month away from the beginning of the regular season, the Houston Astros appear to be trying out their Opening Day roster already. Former Astros bench coach, and now manager Joe Espada has tweaked his predecessor Dusty Baker‘s strategy. Espada gave Astros fans a sneak peek at one of those tweaks this week with a revamped lineup.
The lineup that the Astros have sent out on a daily basis has continued to mostly put fear into other teams. Their stellar on-the-field play has been backed up by a potent offense through most of the past decade. Here’s what the Astros lineup should be looking like around Opening Day, largest change so far comes near the top of the order.
Astros going with their Opening Day lineup against Marlins pic.twitter.com/gfat6ckcko
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 5, 2024
Astros Opening Day Lineup Projection
Leading Off: Spots 1-3
Leading off will be second baseman Jose Altuve. Having just signed a contract extension Altuve has solidified himself as an Astro until he retires from the game. His ability to hit just about anything thrown at him, he finds multiple ways to get on base.
Right behind him, and probably the biggest move throughout the lineup, is the placement of star designated hitter Yordan Alvarez. Considered to be one of the top sluggers in the American League, if not all of baseball, Alvarez should be able to get additional at-bats. With quality 7-9 hitters, his placement makes the Astros a full-game threat.
Third baseman Alex Bregman bats third in this lineup projection. Heading into potential free agency at the end of the season, Bregman will help his case with strong plate appearances. He’s performed well here before, despite a downtick in production the past couple of seasons.
The Middle of the Order: Spots 4-6
Kyle “King Tuck” Tucker bats cleanup this season, along with his role in right field. Tucker will also be playing for an upgrade in contract this season. His past few seasons have shown his prowess to the baseball world. Tucker can field exceptionally and has put up stats on par with the game’s best players.
First baseman Jose Abreu sits squarely in the middle of the order at number five. He also sits squarely in the eyes of the fans. Last year, the signing of Abreu was lauded as an offensive boon at the position. Unfortunately, Abreu underperformed. Once he spent a bit of time on the IL and recovered from an injury, Abreu came back much more forcefully. Fans hope that was just the start and that it bleeds into 2024.
Closing out the middle of the order is the new Astros catcher Yainer Diaz. Diaz takes over the play calling from Martin Maldonado this season. Fans had been clamoring for Diaz to usurp Maldonado for much of last season due to the latter’s underperformance. With much-needed pop in his bat, time will tell if his command with pitch calling will be as effective as his predecessors.
Closing out the Order: Spots 7-9
Fan favorite left fielder Chas McCormick will hit the plate at number seven. With Michael Brantley retired and Yordan primarily utilized as the team’s DH, McCormick will spend much of his field time out in left, much like last season. His bat in the seventh spot should provide the team with little letup in the offense as they wrap back up to Altuve.
Before Altuve hits the plate again, shortstop Jeremy Peña gets a chance in the 8-hole. The former AL Rookie of the Year and World Series MVP suffered a little at the plate during his sophomore year. During the offseason, Pena adjusted his swing and approach, in the hopes that he returns to form…or better.
Rounding out the order, in the ninth spot, is Jake Meyers. After battling to make it to the major leagues the past few seasons, the once-touted superstar has struggled. His fielding is exceptional and he can cover a lot of ground, which is why he is taking over center field. However, he needs to find more consistency at the plate. The Astros hope that this will be that year.
Espada has come out publicly in interviews with this lineup. It is highly possible that on Opening Day, March 28, when the coaches meet at home plate to provide the lineups, this is the one that we see from the Astros.
Photo Credit: © Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
