Since the middle of January, the Astros’ starting outfield was almost assuredly going to have Michael Brantley, Kyle Tucker, and Myles Straw patrolling that large green parcel of land. Barring a disappointing Spring Training (Straw) or injuries (Brantley and Tucker), that alignment was basically etched in stone. For better or worse, we knew what that unit would look like to start the 2021 season.
However, the contingency plan behind the starters is certainly less clear for arguably the first time in recent history. There isn’t a top-hitting prospect like Tucker knocking loudly at the door in Triple-A or a beloved defensive wizard waiting in the wings as we’d become accustomed to with Jake Marisnick.