Astros Hitters Are Among Baseball's Best at Something Unexpected

Sports Illustrated's "ABS All-Stars" include two Houston Astros hitters.

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's been a rocky first half for the Houston Astros as the club has struggled with health and consistency en route to what is currently a 38-43 record through 81 games (they were 48-33 at the same point last season).

One area where the Astros are thriving, however, is in ABS challenges. Houston batters currently rank first in all of baseball in successful challenges. They have won an MLB-high 56 challenges, against just 38 losses, for a 60% success rate.

Ironically enough, the Astros have not fared nearly as well on defensive challenges. The team ranks 25th in challenges while in the field, successfully overturning 44 calls while getting 46 wrong this season (49%).

Of the 19 Houston batters to make challenges in what is the debut season of ABS, only six have a success rate below 50%. But even among what is an eagle-eyed squad, two players stand out: Jose Altuve and Isaac Paredes. In fact, both men were named SI writer Tim Capurso's position-by-position list of ABS All-Stars.

Altuve and Paredes Stand Out on Baseball's Best Challenge Team

Houston Astros 3B Isaac Paredes (left) and 2B Jose Altuve (right). | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It's hardly much of a surprise that ABS challenge success at the plate for the Astros would be primarily driven by two veteran hitters known for their offensive prowess.

Altuve's keen batting eye helped him lead the American League in base hits in four consecutive seasons (2014 through 2017), boasting the league's highest batting average in three of those years. His diminutive 5'6" frame also makes for a considerably tighter strike zone than most hitters.

Where some less established Houston hitters may be reluctant to employ challenges and risk robbing their team of one of their two coveted opportunities per game, Altuve has earned the benefit of the doubt. So it's no surprise that the 36-year-old has made the most challenges of any Astro (19), getting 14 overturned for a 74% success rate.

Paredes, meanwhile, hasn't challenged as many pitches as Altuve, but the third baseman has certainly made his challenges count. The 27-year-old is one of just three players to remain perfect while making at least five attempts, having successfully overturned all nine of his attempts to date. He even somehow managed to overturn a called strike on a Jacob Misiorowski slider than, upon video review, was revealed to be 0.1" outside of the zone.

Now, you can't have a conversation about Houston batters this season without discussing MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez. Curiously, though, Alvarez has not been caught up in ABS fervor, having challenging only one pitch so far this season (and getting the call successfully overturned).

The Astros would surely prefer to lead baseball in other categories if possible. In the meantime, though, they can take comfort in knowing that they boast some rather keen-eyed hitters.