5 Thoughts on Gradual Collapse of Astros' 2025 Season

When the Astros kicked off their regular season, things were solid. They overcame grueling injuries, held onto their lead in the AL West, and experienced numerous winning streaks. Two of the top standouts in the first half included ace Hunter Brown and rookie Cam Smith, both of whom posted strong numbers early on. Manager Joe Espada seemed quite pleased with his team in July —what happened?

According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, "After the first half wrapped up, Espada stated, "[Were] in a really good spot. If we would have drawn this up and envisioned us having a strong first half compared to last year — 16 games over .500, five games up in the division — that's exactly where a team that's trying to achieve a goal of winning the division, that's exactly where we wanted to be."

Collapse in Second-Half of Season

Houston endured one of the worst seasons its franchise has experienced in almost a decade. Most of the struggles faced occurred in the second half of the season. In July, they were stuck in a brutal five-game losing streak and managed to bounce back just in time to repeat the vicious cycle.

One of the more devastating losses took place in September against their division rivals, the Mariners, when Houston dropped the entire series. Overall, the end of the regular season was filled with disappointment as the Astros helplessly watched their chances of postseason play slip through their fingers. This was clearly not the path that Espada expected the team to take.  

Significant Injuries Took Over

Houston has grappled with injuries ranging from mild blisters to severe sprains and strains. One of their key players, Lance McCullers Jr., made multiple appearances on the IL in separate instances this season — four to be exact — forcing him to miss a hefty amount of games.

Beyond McCullers, several other stars found their way to the injured list, including starter Hayden Wesneski, who tore his UCL in his right elbow, resulting in the dreaded Tommy John surgery, ending his 2025 campaign. Another disheartening loss to the IL was that of Luis Garcia, who suffered another elbow injury in September. The list didn't stop there — Kaleb Ort, Jeremy Peña, Josh Hader, among others, all paid visits to the IL. The number of available players dwindled quickly.

"I told this team I'm really proud of them because we have gone through a lot," said Espada at the end of their season, per McTaggart. "We got guys that have no business being on the field right now, banged up injury-wise. But they're playing through pain and through injuries just because they want it for our city, they want it for their teammates. That's the heart of a champion right there."

Importance of Young Talent

When Kyle Tucker walked out the door and found a new home with the Chicago Cubs, the Astros were able to acquire one of their youngest yet most promising players, 22-year-old third baseman Cam Smith, along with two additional players. Houston faced an overwhelming amount of criticism regarding their decision to trade Tucker, but they had hoped 2025 would be a season of success with young talent.

Although their campaign certainly did not have the desired outcome, they could be in good hands in years to come if their rookies, such as Smith, continue to develop. Smith made his debut in March, so he's still fresh into his professional career and has spent time learning his new position in the outfield. The talent is there; it just needs to be fostered.

Offseason Tasks

The most obvious priority for Houston's offseason is to keep each player as healthy as possible — the injuries must dial down if they want to seriously compete in 2026. The franchise is also dealing with uncertainty surrounding Espada and his standing in Houston's future. A decision must be made during the offseason on whether or not Espada will be returning in 2026.

For the first time in several years, Houston is on the outside looking in at the teams that were able to reach the postseason. It could be a blessing in disguise that they've ended their season earlier than they had hoped, as they now have more time to recover, regroup and decide on where to go next.