Houston Astros Skipper Makes Interesting Comments About Slumping Slugger

It sounds like the Houston Astros manager is going to continue believing in their veteran slugger no matter how bad things get.

May 25, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Houston Astros manager Joe Espada (19) replaces the pitcher Oakland Athletics during the sixth inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros need to go on a run.

It looked like they had finally started piecing things together in mid-May when they made a charge up the AL West standings, but they have fizzled out almost as quickly as the hot stretch came.

Sitting at 4-6 over their last 10 games entering Friday's action, they find themselves 5.5 out of first place in their division, and 6.5 back of the third Wild Card spot.

This team needs a jolt from someone to get things going.

Maybe that comes from their young starting pitcher who seems to have figured something out and is looking like the star prospect he was billed as entering the season.

Ideally for the Astros, that spark will come from their veteran slugger Jose Abreu.

After signing a three-year, $58.5 million contract with Houston in 2022, things have not gone well for the 2020 American League MVP.

Not only did he have his worst year as a professional in 2023, but he followed that up with an even worse effort that saw him spend time away from the team down at their Florida complex to find his swing.

The Astros apparently thought he spent the requisite amount of time figuring things out and decided to recall him on May 27 after almost a month away from Major League Baseball.

Since returning, he's gone 2-10 with no extra-base hits and just one RBI, not putting any of the concerns about his performance to bed.

Yet, manager Joe Espada actually likes what he's seen out of the 37-year-old.

Joe Espada says so far so good with José Abreu. He likes what he sees so far. #ChalkTalk #Astros pic.twitter.com/jkM8ghBmtK

— Kim Davis (@kimydavis) May 31, 2024

"I think it's encouraging. I think he looks better in the batter's box. I think he's moving a lot better. I think he hit two balls really, really hard. Catching up to fastballs, way better passes on fastballs. And his mindset is better also, which I think is very important," he said when asked about what he's seen from Abreu since returning.

Of course, the skipper isn't going to say anything that would crush the confidence of the slugger immediately after coming back to the team, but maybe this is more than lip service.

Dealing with fastballs was a major issue for Abreu, so if he's seeing them better and is able to catch up to them with his bat more often, then he might be able to start producing.

What he's capable of doing is unknown considering how poor he's been, but Espada still believes in the former MVP.

It'll be up to the first baseman to pay off that belief with good performances.