Astros' Outfield Woes Cause Alarming Drop in Early MLB Power Rankings

The Houston Astros knew there would be some challenges to overcome during the 2025 season given how much talent they lost in the offseason.

Losing franchise cornerstones Alex Bregman, who departed in free agency, and right fielder Kyle Tucker, who was traded to the Chicago Cubs, created massive voids in the Astros' lineup.

Houston made some solid additions to help offset those departures, acquiring Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith from the Cubs and signing Christian Walker in free agency.

Unfortunately for the Astros, none of their new additions, along with holdovers like catcher Yainer Diaz, shortstop Jeremy Pena and designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, have really found their groove yet in the early going.

The biggest changes to the lineup were in the outfield, where Jose Altuve shifted from second base to left field and Smith moved from third base to right field.

Despite their lack of outfield experience, both players were in the lineup on Opening Day out in the grass. The results, as expected, have been a mixed bag, playing a part in Houston's slow start and recent tumble down the MLB.com power rankings.

The Astros have slid from No. 11 to No. 17 courtesy of their 4-5 start. They've had some disappointing performances from their pitching staff in the early going, but their flailing outfield has been a major problem.

How will manager Joe Espada handle late-game situations with Altuve?

Houston needs his bat in the lineup, as he's still one of the best hitters in baseball. However,he is a massive liability defensively in left field and will likely be lifted often for a defensive replacement late in games.

Meanwhile, Smith has held his own defensively in right field, which is encouraging since he's only been playing outfield for about four weeks.

However, he has looked lost at the plate at times against Major League pitching. That isn’t too surprising given that he has only five games of Double-A experience and was accelerated through the system after a stellar spring training.

Through his first 21 MLB plate appearances, the top prospect has an ugly .111/.238/.111 slash line with nine strikeouts, often looking overmatched.

The Astros remain committed to Smith for now, but his slump is worth monitoring. He isn’t the only player in the lineup who's struggling, but the team doesn’t want to crush his confidence if he continues to flounder.