Let’s cut right to the chase: the Astros‘ lineup was one of the best about generating contact last season. At a rate of 79.9%, Houston only trailed the Indians in the same category by less than one percent. What about the season before, you know, the championship one? Houston finished with a 81.2% contact rate, which was the best in baseball. While a high contact rate doesn’t necessarily translate into an above-average offense, generating contact is one of the primary goals of a hitter.
The amazing part about the Astros last season was the high contact in spite of the notable absences from Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve, who are among the club’s best hitters.