It’s Time for the Houston Astros and Their Fans to Start Panicking

This should not come as a surprise to anyone, but the Houston Astros are in trouble. This isn’t the kind of trouble that can be turned around with a quick hot week. This is not the kind of trouble that a quick trade acquisition can fix. This is deep, rooted trouble.

The problems have been growing week over week and at this point, they are impossible to ignore.

At 14-21, the team is sitting 4.5 games behind the Athletics in the AL West. This is not the result of just underperformance. The reality of the situation is that the window is closing fast on the Houston-based team.

It’s time to start panicking, and here’s why.

The Rotation is in a Catastrophic State

Mike Burrows | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

If we start at the top of the list of problems, the pitching staff takes the cake. This is where this season has gone to die.

Spencer Arrighetti is a lone bright spot in what looks like a deep, dark, coaching nightmare. Somehow along the way of this disaster, Arrighetti has managed a 4-0 record with an impressive 1.96 ERA.

Past him, though, and reality slaps you in the face. Mike Burrows boasts a 5.97 ERA. Lance McCullers comes in at 6.32, Ryan Weiss gets worse with a 7.62, Tatsuya Imai, who can’t seem to adjust to the lifestyle and schedule, has a 7.27, and finally Cristian Javier has to be nearly embarrassed at 12.54.

Peter Lambert was called up on April 17 and he sits at second-best in the starting pitcher column with a 3.52 ERA over three starts. Thinking about this for just a moment, Lambert was pitching in Triple-A Sugar Land just six weeks ago, and now is the second-best pitcher the Astros have?

The stats are damning for the pitching staff, whose overall ERA ranks dead last in the AL. Most nights, the rotation has not given the offense a chance to win games. Even when the rotation pulls its weight, the bullpen erases the effort.

The bullpen numbers are worse than the rotation, even though that is hard to believe. Bryan Abreu finally put together a worthy performance, but he still has a 9.49 ERA, Colton Gordon has posted an 11.57, and Roddery Munoz, well, let’s just say it is north of 15.

Wow.

The Injury List Is Unending

The numbers coming out of the active roster are bad, but the injured list, well, now that is alarming. It might not be quite as shocking to fans in 2026 because they have already walked this path in 2025.

The Astros currently have 13 players either on the IL or scratched from lineups. Another fun fact? The injuries span every position (well, nearly every one, anyway).

Hunter Brown, the team’s ace and a staff anchor has a Grade 2 right shoulder strain and isn’t expected until possibly June. He only started two games this season. Cristian Javier matched Brown with the same injury and timeline.

Ronel Blanco underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025 and hasn’t been given an expected return date. That can’t be good news. The same report is true of Hayden Wesneski, who had the surgery just one month before Blanco. Brandon Walter had the pleasure of signing up for Tommy John in September of 2025, meaning he is out for the season.

That is five pitchers gone.

Now, let’s keep going. Josh Hader, the star closer and $100 million man. He’s been out since March 25 and won’t be eligible to return until May 24. How about Tatsuya Imai? The $54 million Japanese import started three games, two of which were dismal displays.

Nate Pearson is scheduled to make a rehab start on Tuesday. He could add some depth to the bullpen if healthy.

Those three are working their way off the IL, but let’s be honest here. Tatsuya Imai’s first rehab appearance didn’t go as planned; it was sad. He got worked over in Double-A ball.

The position players have not been marked safe from injury either. Jeremy Pena, the Gold Glove shortstop, is still weeks away. Nick Allen found his way to the IL with back spasms.

Add insult to injury (pun intended), and Yainer Diaz, Houston’s starting catcher, was scratched on Monday with a left abdominal injury.

Joey Loperfido, Jake Meyers, Taylor Trammell - all affected. All on the IL.

It’s almost a tale that is so ridiculous it’s not believable, but it’s true.

Astros Offense Can’t Carry This Impossible Burden

Credit should be given to the hitters. They haven’t quit, and they have been performing, but the truth is the team is so badly deconstructed that there’s no way the hitters can carry this team.

Yordan Alvarez looks like a legitimate All-Star. He is slashing .333/.438/.667 with a 1.105 OPS and 12 home runs in 36 games. We can already declare him the MVP in our own list of awards.

Christian Walker is at .308 with eight home run. Correa has been steady at .279 with 18 walks and 26 strikeouts. He provides patience to a lineup. Paredes finishes out those who have performed what we will call “well” with his .265.

Other hitters on the team:

Cam Smith .223
Brice Matthews .211
Yainer Diaz .248

One of the biggest problems for the Astros right now is the ability to convert runners on base to scores. This has cost Houston multiple chances.

The Math is Getting Ugly

If you want to keep believing and not see reality, well don’t read on. But the truth is coming out.

The number, the scary number is 4.5. The team is 4.5 games back on May 4. The schedule isn’t getting any easier either. The Astros are in the midst of a series with the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

The first game didn’t end well for Houston. The final score showed 8-3 in favor of the Dodgers.

Sure, it is early on in the season and the Astros are not mathematically eliminated from anything. As the saying goes, “Anything can happen and might.” Houston still has a chance.

The 2023 season was a good example. The team surged in the second half. Maybe it can happen again, but as things stand right now, that possibility looks bleak.

Yes, the cavalry could swoop in and save the day. Maybe a bunch of good guys on white horses will come roaring into Daikin Park and all of this panic will be for not? Who could that be though?

Well, maybe if just half of the crew of Hader, Imai, Pearson, Brown, Javier, and Pena could find a way, then the team sure looks different. If is a huge word though.

The Truth That is Reality

Houston is 14-21. The rotation holds the worst ERA in the AL. They have 13 players on the IL. Their best closer has been out since March.

This is not a slow start. This is truly a team in crisis. Every lineup card scratched, every IL trip and bullpen implosion puts them just one step closer to running out of chances.

Maybe May will be a lot different than April? The Astros lost 18 games in April when they recorded just eight wins. Before the game on Tuesday, the May record was 2-2, but they are playing the Dodgers, followed by a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.

Panic may be a strong word. Sound the alarm may be a better way to put it. The time for answers starts now.

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