The Houston Astros will come out of the All-Star Break at the top of the AL West standings as they are five games clear of the second-place Seattle Mariners.
While things are going about as well as they could for Houston right now, injuries are beginning to pile up as Yordan Alvarez, Jeremy Pena, and Jake Meyers are among the walking wounded on the Astros roster coming out of the break.
That opens the door for other players on the roster to step up, and there is one veteran who needs to do just that if he wants to prove to the front office that he is a piece of the puzzle beyond this season.
Clock Is Ticking for Astros Veteran Victor Caratini to Show His Worth
The Astros signed Victor Caratini to a two-year, $12 million contract before the 2024 season. There is no question about his standing when compared to Yainer Diaz concerning the starting catcher position moving forward. The time is now for Caratini to prove his worth to Houston's coaching staff and front office.
This season alone, Caratini has held down the roles of catcher, first baseman, and designated hitter for the Astros. While that level of versatility is certainly a positive note for the veteran, there are undoubtedly better options on the roster when Houston is fully healthy. If the soon-to-be 32-year-old has any intentions of sticking with Houston beyond this year, this is the time when he needs to put his best foot forward and play the best baseball of his career.
His numbers this season are solid but not spectacular as he is hitting .256 in 215 at-bats with 10 home runs and 32 RBI. His nearly 4-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio isn't anything to write home about and brings down his OBP to a rather pedestrian .304.
Improving in those areas alone would be a great start for Caratini and will only help the Astros navigate these injury issues in the second half of the regular season. Contributing to the team's success when he is needed the most is the best way to gain the trust of the coaching staff and the favor of the front office.
If Caratini can do that, his nerves should be lessened a bit as the regular season moves forward. However, if he does not show any marked improvement between now and whenever Houston's 2025 run comes to an end, the Astros could very well move on and leave the veteran looking for a new home within the league.