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For the first time since 2016, the Houston Astros will be watching the entirety of the MLB playoffs from their couches.
The Astros were eliminated Saturday night when the Cleveland Guardians walked it off against the Texas Rangers. Carlos Correa, one of the team’s three trade deadline acquisitions, didn’t make excuses for the team’s disappointment.
“They (the fans) are used to watching playoff baseball and they look forward to that every single year,” Correa told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. “We were not able to accomplish that this year, but we promise our fans in Houston this offseason is going to be one of a lot of hard work. We’re all going to get better. Next year will be one to remember.”
The Astros dealt with a lot of injuries this season. Slugger Yordan Alvarez and closer Josh Hader ended the season on the injured list, and according to Rome, 28 players in the Houston organization spent time on the injured list this season.
Correa isn’t using that as an excuse.
“It’s part of baseball,” Correa told Rome. “That’s where the depth of an organization comes into play.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an example of what Correa means when he references the organization’s depth. They had numerous pitching injuries this season and still found a way to win the National League West. Of course, the Dodgers can also have a much larger payroll than the Astros which certainly helps their cause.
With the Astros missing the playoffs, all eyes shift to general manager Dana Brown as to how he responds. Houston has several key pieces that Brown can build on next season, but it’s a question of how he addresses the gaps. The outfield remains a huge hole that needs to be filled properly in the offseason. If he addresses it or how he addresses it remains to be seen and will determine how successful the Astros are next season to keep their contention window open.
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