Astros Ace Rightly Named Amongst Players Under Most Pressure To Perform

The Houston Astros have an ace who can make a major impact down the stretch.

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For the first time since June, the Houston Astros are not holding the top spot in the American League West.

Entering play on Sept. 15, that honor is held by the Seattle Mariners, who own a one-game lead in the division in what has become a battle of ineptitude over recent weeks. The Astros haven’t been playing well, but the Mariners were struggling, too. And now that Seattle has figured things out a little bit, they are moving up the standings.

Making matters worse for Houston is the fact that the Texas Rangers have also experienced a resurgence. They are playing some of their best baseball of the year, only two games behind in the standings. A season-defining stretch is beginning for the Astros on Monday.

They will be starting a six-game homestand, playing three games against the Rangers before three against the Mariners. If they want to make the playoffs, they have to win both of those series to improve their position in the standings. Should they falter, their streak of winning the division and making the postseason could very well come to an end.

Hunter Brown Is Under Most Pressure To Carry Astros Pitching Staff

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One of the players whom they will be relying on to help get them into the playoffs is starting pitcher Hunter Brown. He was named one of the 12 players under the most pressure to deliver down the stretch by Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report. His inclusion makes a ton of sense as a core piece of a contender for the first time.

In 2022, when Houston last made and won the World Series, he appeared in three games as a relief pitcher. However, he is now being counted on as the ace of the team alongside Framber Valdez. This could be a passing of the torch moment for the franchise.

Valdez is set to hit free agency, and early predictions don’t have him returning to the Astros. His age, combined with the price tag he is expected to demand, is outside of their normal spending habits. That could leave Brown atop a rotation that has virtually nothing else locked in as a surefire contributor beyond him.

Hunter Brown, Dirty 83mph Knuckle Curve...and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/bJa6f1NXo3

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 14, 2025

His performance over the last weeks of the regular season and playoffs will go a long way in determining how the offseason plays out. Can Brown handle being the guy in the biggest moments when the lights are brightest? The talent is certainly there, as he has displayed since May 2024. Now, he just has to make the most of it.

He is going to receive attention in the AL Cy Young Award race for the stellar campaign he has put together. But his individual production would feel a little more hollow if it didn’t result in helping the team play some October baseball.