The Houston Astros suffered a defeat against the Seattle Mariners last Friday, marking a key moment in a significant weekend series relevant to American League West standings. After winning the first game of the series, the Astros now find themselves 3 ½ games behind Seattle, who will maintain first place irrespective of the upcoming games materializing in the series.

As the Memorial Day weekend arrives, it’s typical for audiences to start paying closer attention to the standings, signifying that the season is approximately one-third of the way through. This period highlights the legitimacy of both some good and bad performances, reinforcing the need to reflect on individual player contributions, especially for a team like the Astros.

While the Astros boast the second-best record in the AL West, placing them in the postseason picture if the playoffs were to start today, several key players are struggling in terms of performance.

Notably, the heart of the Astros lineup comprises left fielder Jose Altuve, catcher Yainer Diaz, and first baseman Christian Walker. Though this trio is thought to form a robust offensive foundation, each of them currently records an OPS at least 100 points lower than their performance in 2024. Hence, it raises the pressing question: Should the Astros be worried?

1. Jose Altuve, LF
Altuve has stumbled to a .253/.303/.376 batting line with six home runs to date, marking what could be the second-worst OPS of his entire career. Despite showing recent signs of life with increased hit counts in three of his last four games, the overall trends indicate potential skill decline, especially as he approaches his mid-30s.

2. Christian Walker, 1B
Entering play with disappointing stats of .196/.263/.328, Walker is not faring better than Abreu’s poor first-season statistics with the Astros. Despite this, underlying measures imply he could rebound with improved performance.

3. Yainer Diaz, C
Only twenty-seven years old, Diaz has the opportunity to bounce back after a disappointing season impacted by an approach shift that doesn’t seem to be working.

As the Astros navigate through these challenges, scrutiny around Altuve, Diaz, and Walker will be heightened in the coming weeks.