Jesus Sanchez needs more than one great game to help Astros

Houston Astros left fielder Jesus Sanchez. Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Jesus Sanchez needs to be consistent to help Astros get back on track

By Joe Rutland | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 6:24 PM ET

If the Houston Astros needed a pick-me-up on Thursday, they got one from outfielder Jesús Sánchez. Sánchez entered the Astros game against the Baltimore Orioles, wallowing with a 0-for-27 hitless skid.

His at-bats were poor, as Sánchez either swung at pitches outside or below the strike zone. Adjustments were needed.

Whether it was Sánchez getting some help from Astros hitting coach Alex Cintron or a kick in the backside from third baseman Carlos Correa, something finally snapped in place. Sánchez needs to keep doing whatever helped fix his at-bats going forward.

Sánchez put together a 5-for-5 night at the plate as the Astros defeated the Orioles 7-2 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore.

Jesús Sánchez records his second career 5-hit game pic.twitter.com/KFdbjU1Z9P
— MLB (@MLB) August 22, 2025

This was his second career five-hit game, with the other one coming in 2024 when Sánchez played for the Miami Marlins. He did the trick on September 17, 2024, against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sánchez played with the Marlins for five seasons ahead of his trade to the Astros. He has a career .242 batting average with 69 home runs.

The Astros have been playing bad baseball recently, getting swept in a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. Their offense has been nonexistent with a 31-inning scoreless streak. It was snapped on Aug. 20 with a Mauricio Dubon opposite-field, two-run homer in Detroit.

Sánchez cannot afford to have another hitless streak like that one this season. Houston needs his bat in the lineup. He's shown flashes of brilliance on defense, taking away two home runs when the Orioles won two out of three at Daikin Park in Houston recently.

Yordan Alvarez is wrapping up his rehab stint at Double-A Corpus Christi and is due to return to the Astros either Saturday or Sunday. Sánchez still needs to produce. Whatever worked on Thursday night, he must rinse and repeat it for the rest of this season.

Joe Rutland

Joe Rutland has contributed articles on sports, entertainment, and business to digital platforms like Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Entrepreneur, The Huffington Post, The Good Men Project, and others. He's spent four decades in the communications industry as a journalist, editor, writer, and columnist. His sports areas of focus include MLB, NBA, college football, and WNBA

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