From shoulder strains to Tommy John surgeries to a trade, the Astros have battled through nearly every kind of setback this season, and somehow they're still leading the AL West.
The Houston Astros have had more than their fair share of struggles this season and have had a lot to overcome. They took a big hit earlier in the season, missing some crucial players to injuries, and it showed. Now that players like Hunter Brown, Josh Hader, and Jeremy Peña, and that's not all, have been back, the Astros are a different team.
Losing their ace early on took a toll on the team. Aside from missing a crucial arm, the rotation was already thin and struggled more than anyone would have expected. Players that were highly anticipated became disappointing, and Brown's absence became more and more prominent. Brown missed time due to a right shoulder strain. It took him a little while to find his footing after his return, but now that he has, he's back.
Cristian Javier joined him on the IL with the same injury, a right shoulder strain. Javier's return hasn't been as solid as Brown's, but he did give the Astros six scoreless innings recently against the Phillies, and for the first time looked really solid since the injury. That being said, he also had to make his way back from Tommy John last season, so it's been a long road back for Javier, likely leading to mixed results with his return.
Javier isn't the only pitcher for the Astros who has had to make a comeback from Tommy John. Hayden Wesneski underwent Tommy John surgery and missed most of the season before a strong return in late July. Wesneski's return has really come in clutch, and he seems to have settled in pretty quickly.
Ronel Blanco also underwent Tommy John surgery and also missed extended time. Blanco, on the other hand, has really struggled to find his footing since returning to the major league mound.
Steven Okert has had one of the best seasons in this bullpen, sitting at 6-2 with a 2.13 ERA, but he's currently on the 15-day IL. The timing couldn't be worse, with the Astros needing every reliable arm they can get down the stretch.
Yordan Alvarez, who missed significant time last season, has largely avoided the injury bug this year, aside from a recent ankle issue that cost him a couple of games. But he seems to be right back on track.
Lance McCullers Jr. also spent time on the injured list this season with shoulder inflammation, though his path looked different from the others. After a rough stretch to start the year, Houston traded him to the Brewers in July before he ever got the chance to work his way back into form with the Astros.
Jeremy Peña missed some time earlier in the season. He dealt with hamstring/calf issues at points but was red hot this summer after returning.
The injury-prone team once again battled with injuries all season long. Yet they have been able to overcome some serious setbacks, and somehow are leading the AL West. It will be interesting to see how the season plays out, especially since the Astros are just barely over .500.
