Roughly 20 games into spring training, the Houston Astros feature an unremarkably mediocre record. However, in the Astros‘ defense, preseason games do not count; and it remains a better strategy to test higher-end minor leaguers against established major leaguers in-game situations than to play only major league starters in an effort to win meaningless matches.
The Houston Astros’ record—hovering around .500 in the Grapefruit League standings—remains nothing to write home about, but it only tells part of the story concerning the team’s frustrations in Florida. Recent reports indicate that ace Justin Verlander is experiencing a setback, George Springer is enduring visible dissatisfaction at the plate, and the question concerning which lefty—or lefties—the Houston Astros will add to the opening day 26-man roster remains to be answered.