When you think of preseason powerhouses, the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox are two names that immediately come to mind. Yet, as we hit the 20% mark of the MLB season, both teams find themselves in unfamiliar territory: near the bottom of the standings. Let's take a closer look at which squad has been the bigger letdown so far.
It's easy to focus on Boston's struggles, but a quick glance at the league's bottom six reveals that the Astros are actually in worse shape. The Red Sox, despite their recent woes, are only 3.5 games out of a playoff spot as we head into May. That's a silver lining few expected to be discussing.
Remember that opening week series in Houston, where the Astros swept the Red Sox with ease? It felt like Boston was out of their league. But since then, the script has flipped dramatically. The Red Sox lost nine of their next ten games, including a sweep at the hands of the Rockies. Yet, somehow, the Astros have an even worse record than Boston this season.
The Astros' road woes are staggering—they're 4-12 away from home. Their injured list reads like a who's who of key players: pitchers Hunter Brown, Tatsuya Imai, Cristian Javier, and Josh Hader are all sidelined, along with shortstop Jeremy Peña and outfielders Joey Loperfido and Jake Meyers. But the real problem is on the mound. Houston's team ERA of 6.08 is the worst in baseball, nearly a full run worse than the next-closest team (Washington at 5.11). Their bullpen ERA of 6.63 is especially alarming, and they lead the league in walking batters at a cringe-worthy 13.7%.
This weekend, the Red Sox face a depleted Astros rotation featuring Mike Burrows (6.25 ERA), Spencer Arrighetti (2.00), and newcomer Kai-Wei Teng (2.75). If Boston's hitters can show some patience at the plate, they might just take advantage of Houston's control issues.
So, which team has been the bigger disappointment? The Astros, with their championship pedigree and astronomical expectations, might take the cake. But don't sleep on the Red Sox, who have their own share of underperformance. And if we're looking league-wide, the Mets are arguably the biggest letdown of all. What do you think? Share your thoughts and let's debate as we gear up for another weekend of baseball.