Mar 5, 2025; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Houston Astros third base Isaac Paredes (15) hits a double against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fourth inning at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Rich Storry-Imagn Images

Watch: New Astros Star Hits First Home Run to Crawford Boxes in Daikin Park

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI
By Michael Brauner | Last updated Mar 25, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Houston Astros are on the cusp of beginning their season with Opening Day coming up on Thursday against the New York Mets.

After the Grapefruit League schedule finished, the Astros now are getting a chance to play two final tune up exhibition games against Triple-A Sugar Land in their home stadium -- the newly named Daikin Park.

For players who are just arriving to Houston this season, it was their first chance to get to play in their brand new stadium.

One new Astros star announced his arrival loudly, and did what many expect him to do after being acquired as part of an offseason blockbuster trade.

New third baseman Isaac Paredes has some massive shoes to fill in terms of who he is replacing at the hot corner, but he may just be the perfect fit with a propensity for power towards left field.

Paredes -- who should make the Crawford Boxes a second home this season -- crushed his first long ball to left and looks ready to start hitting in Houston when the campaign gets underway.

Isaac Paredes is going to hit a million balls into the Crawford Boxes

pic.twitter.com/3lC1W8iraH
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) March 25, 2025

Paredes struggled a bit throughout spring training at the plate, slashing .188/.395/.313 and overall dealing with a level of inconsistency. But now that he is in a ballpark which plays to his strengths perhaps he can get things going to start the year.

With a pull percentage among the highest in all of baseball and virtually every single one of his career home runs going to left field, a short porch there is extremely advantageous.

One exhibition game in, that thought process seems like it could pay off very well both for the Astros and for their new slugger.

This article first appeared on Houston Astros on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: