Houston Astros Adding More Green To Center Field

The Houston Astros are working to extend their batter's eye before the team returns home to start a series with Baltimore on Monday.

When the Houston Astros return home next week to host the Kansas City Royals, they’ll notice something different out in center field — more green.

No, not money, although the Astros are clearly spending some money to get this done before the team returns.

Multiple outlets have reported that the Astros are adding paint to the right side of the batter’s eye at Minute Maid Park, and the work should be ready for Monday’s game with Baltimore.

Why? Per the reports, the Astros cited “player feedback.” But, certainly the Astros’ offensive performance against the hapless Oakland Athletics was the final straw.

In the first two games of that series, both losses, the Astros had two runs and nine hits against a team that now has more than 100 losses.

For an Astros team trying to win the AL West and trying to defend their World Series crown, that won’t do.

Apparently, it’s been a longer-term concern for Astros players. The Athletic wrote about criticisms from several players, which were anonymous, that the red Budweiser sign by the batter’s eye was a significant issue.

Now, the Astros are extending that green further to the right.

The @astros are painting the right side of the batters eye green. Picture was sent to me showing the work in progress (earlier this afternoon). @LockedOnAstros pic.twitter.com/d3i3L0Q8op

— Htown Wheelhouse™️2X World Series Champs '17, '22 (@HtownWheelhouse) September 15, 2023

In retrospect, comments by general manager Dana Brown earlier in the week to 790-AM Houston seemed to set the stage for the change.

"Guys have talked to us about the batters eye,” Brown said. “This team has been good with the same batters eye the last two years. There could be a few tweaks to it & adjustments to it for left-handed pitching but we've won with it before."

Data may also have something to do with it. The Astros’ batting numbers at home and on the road are different enough to be concerning:

Home: .251/.324/.407/.732 with 83 home runs and 323 RBI.

Road: .267/.338/.460/.799 with 119 home runs and 411 RBI.

The Astros need all the offensive help they can get as the season reaches its conclusion and a playoff berth is at stake.