Two Astros Spring Training Games Highlight Growing Concern for 2026 Season

Houston had a very slow offseason, and there has to be a little bit of worry going into Opening Day with their spring training performances.

Feb 15, 2026; West Palm Beach, FL, USA; Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) speaks to reporters before a spring training workout at CACTI Park of The Palm Beaches. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Spring training is well underway, and all 30 organizations are learning plenty about their teams as management tries to assemble their starting lineup and the official 40-man roster. There is a lot on everyone's plate, and as the season draws near, the Houston Astros have to have some concern with their offense.

When the Astros were in the thick of an AL West title race, the team was shut out eight times in the final weeks of the season. Now that spring training is here, they are under .500 and have scored no runs in a pair of games.

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The first shutout came against the New York Mets, and by the end, there were only a pair of hits and a combined 15 strikeouts.

Sep 20, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) reacts after a play during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Against the Marlins, the Astros not only didn't score a run, but only one batter made contact, outfielder Zach Cole, but that was only his second of the seven games he has played in which he is batting under .200.

The issue with the batting order and players being able to make contact with the ball has not gone away, and if this team wants to get back to playing for the Pennant, or at very least make the postseason, then there has to be an answer to this rut.

Losing games at this point isn't necessarily concerning. The ballclub is trying to figure out starts, batting order, pitching combinations, etc. The worry is that the veterans and leaders of this team are not finding a groove or gaining confidence going into their first game of 2026.

Familiar Faces Struggling

Mar 1, 2026; Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) steals second base as New York Mets third baseman Vidal Brujan (2) gathers the late throw at Clover Park. | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The broken finger to shortstop Jeremy Peña is not helping matters for the Astros, who already dealt with way too many injuries last season. Peña might not be available when their 2026 debut comes at the end of the month, and after batting under .200 in spring training, his confidence won't be at an all-time high by any means.

Jose Altuve is hopefully not carrying his second-half struggles from 2025 into 2026 as the veteran infielder dropped every part of his slash line after the All-Star break. Altuve led the team last year, but in his 15 plate appearances, hehas onlys two hits.

Jeremy Pena gives update on his finger to @brianmctaggart
This morning in WBPpic.twitter.com/eh3rwHzDEx

— Randy McIlvoy (@KPRC2RandyMc) March 6, 2026

It isn't ideal for Houston to be down a player like Pena this close to the season, but the Astros are going to have to navigate through it. There is still a lot to work through, and manager Joe Espada definitely has his hands full with the clock rapidly winding down.