There are a couple of reasons for the Houston Astros’ stunning September collapse.
Their top-tier starting pitchers are starting to run out of gas after a long season. Their impact bats have started to go quiet. But perhaps the biggest reason they’ve fallen back to earth has been due to injuries.
That theme reared its head again this weekend when All-Star shortstop Jeremy Peña was pulled out of Houston’s lineup pregame on Sunday due to oblique soreness.
While it looks like there’s a chance it could only be a minor injury, it’s another reminder of how fragile the Astros’ roster is.