The Houston Astros are set to finish a three-game road series against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday after dropping the first two games after the All-Star break.
A few players have played well post-All-Star break, such as Jose Altuve and Victor Caratini, who both had three hits apiece in the Astros’ tough 7-6 loss on Saturday. However, others, such as Lance McCullers, Brice Matthews, and Cam Smith, have had their own struggles.
Matthews’ struggles are expected as he has only played four major league games. Smith has played better recently, despite his recent performance at the plate this weekend against the Mariners.
Lastly, McCullers’ 2025 season has been a mixed bag, as you don’t know what pitcher you will see on an every-fifth-day basis.
Astros Veteran Taylor Trammell on Thin Ice Post All-Star Break
One player, whom we didn’t mention, but is putting himself in a dicey position as we race to the end of July, is veteran outfielder Taylor Trammell. This season, Trammell is hitting a mediocre .143 with one home run, five RBI, and an OPS of .543 in 16 games.
The 27-year-old Trammell, who was once considered a top prospect in baseball with the Seattle Mariners, bounced around the majors last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.
Trammell joined the Astros this offseason in a trade from the Yankees. The former first-round pick didn’t start the 2025 season with the big league club as he was rehabbing from a right calf strain.
After going through a rehab assignment with the FCL Astros and Triple-A Sugar Land, Houston activated Trammell off the 10-day IL and brought him up to the big league club.
He went hitless in his first three games at the end of June and didn’t get his first hit of the year until July 7 against the Cleveland Guardians, which was a home run. Trammell doesn’t provide much offensively as a left-handed bat, but with all the injuries the Astros have gone through, he’s their next best option.
However, Trammell is a solid outfielder, as he has the range to play both left and center field, which makes him more appealing to keep on the roster than Cooper Hummel, another slugger who’s struggling at the plate.
That said, with the trade deadline on the horizon and the Astros looking to make upgrades, the 27-year-old outfielder must do everything in his power to try to show some improvement at the plate to stay in the big leagues. A .172 batting average for July won’t cut it, no matter how good you are defensively, especially playing for a team that has postseason aspirations.