Three Key Takeaways From Houston Astros' First Sweep of Season

After a slow start to the season, the Houston Astros are finally rolling after sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays.

Apr 22, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) celebrates with shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Daikin Park. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It took them nearly a whole month, but the Houston Astros finally have their first sweep of the 2025 season.

After their usual slow start, the Astros are back to looking like the team that's won four straight AL West titles. They went 5-1 on their six-game homestand, taking two of three from the San Diego Padres and sweeping the Toronto Blue Jays.

Houston dominated the Blue Jays during its three-game sweep at Daikin Park this week, winning every game by multiple runs and outscoring Toronto 15-2. The Astros' pitching and defense was particularly impressive, holding Toronto's offense to just two runs and nine hits over the course of the series.

With Houston off on Thursday before a quick three-game road trip against the Kansas City Royals, here are three main takeaways from the club's first sweep of the season.

1. Josh Hader Is Back

After a rocky first season with the Astros last year, Hader looks like his old self again. The All-Star closer was stellar in both of his appearances against the Blue Jays, closing out Tuesday and Wednesday's wins with a pair of scoreless innings and four strikeouts.

Hader is now seven-for-seven in save opportunities this year with a 0.69 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP and 17 strikeouts in 13 innings. He's been automatic, and Houston is 11-0 in his appearances this year.

It took him a while, but he's starting to earn that five-year, $95 million contract.

2. Christian Walker Is Heating Up

After signing a three-year, $60 million contract last offseason, Walker got off to a terrible start for the Astros. Over his first 18 games, he batted just .154/.267/.215 with one homer, two RBI and more than twice as many strikeouts (23) as hits (10).

Fortunately, Walker's bat has finally started to come around. He's hit safely in four of his last five games with four extra-base hits, including two homers.

The slugging first baseman had his first three-hit game of the season on Tuesday and followed it up with two hits (including a homer) on Wednesday, giving him back-to-back multi-hit games for the first time this season.

His OPS has increased 158 points over the last week, and Joe Espada dropping him from fourth to fifth in the batting order appears to have helped.

3. The Astros' Pitching Staff Is Elite

While Houston's offense has struggled this year, its pitching staff has been phenomenal. As mentioned, it held Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and company to just two runs and nine hits over 27 innings.

That wasn't a fluke, either. The Astros enter play on Thursday with the fourth-best ERA in baseball (3.26), behind only the New York Mets (2.34), Padres (2.92) and Detroit Tigers (2.94).

Houston's bullpen didn't allow a run all series, tossing 7.2 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and only two hits and one walk allowed.

Meanwhile, the starting rotation was excellent. Hunter Brown fired seven shutout innings in the opener, Ronel Blanco twirled 6.2 innings of one-run ball on Tuesday and Ryan Gusto yielded only one run over 5.2 innings in the finale.

When you pitch like that, you're going to win a lot of games.