Astros Countdown: Top Five Road Warriors in 2017

The Astros have been good away from Minute Maid Park.

As the team with the best record in baseball, it is safe to assume that the Houston Astros have been winning wherever they are, whether it is at home or on the road. The Astros have been shockingly good away from Houston, winning 23 of 31 away games so far this season.

Even though they will be taking on the Boston Red Sox in a vital home series this weekend, with a seven-game road trip coming up next week against division opponents, we will countdown the best Astros performers on the road.

Brian McCann

Brian McCann has been having a resurgent season in his first year in an Astros uniform. With a .269 batting average, he is having his best hitting season since 2011 and has his best slugging percentage (.481), on-base percentage (.359) and OPS (.840) since his days with the Atlanta Braves. McCann is also on pace to match his career-high 26 home runs that he hit with the New York Yankees in 2015.

For a 33-year-old veteran catcher, these are fantastic numbers. The majority of his success has been due to his success away from Minute Maid Park. In 22 away games, McCann has a .309 batting average with a .951 OPS. He has hit 10 of his 19 extra base hits away from Houston, including five of his nine home runs this season. The main number to look at though is his RBI total. With only nine runs driven in at home, McCann has driven in 25 RBIs on the road.

These offensive numbers on the road may be due to a more aggressive approach at the plate. Even though he does have a higher on-base percentage away at .396, McCann has struck out more than he has walked with 16 strikeouts compared to 12 walks. This does not seem like a huge number because it is not, but McCann is a very patient hitter. Only striking out three more times than he has walked this season.

After acquiring him from the Yankees this offseason, the Astros have to be pleased with McCann’s offensive production so far in 2017, especially on the road.

Yuli Gurriel

Astros fans have not heard much from the highly touted Cuban prospect that was acquired on July 16^th of last season. Splitting time with Marwin Gonzalez at first base, Yuli Gurriel has quietly been a very solid hitter in the Astros lineup this season.

In 57 games, Gurriel has a .274 batting average with a .735 OPS. Showing more comfort at the major league level, the 33-year-old’s batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage are all higher than his 36 game stint at the end of last season.

Also, Gurriel’s power is showing a lot more this season. With only ten extra base hits in 130 at bats in 2016, he has 19 extra base hits, including seven home runs, in 212 at bats. With the increased power, he has driven in more runs, with 29 RBIs and scoring himself 26 times.

However, Gurriel has one of the more drastic comparisons between his home/road numbers of any hitter on the Astros roster. In 27 road games, he has a .327 batting average, compared to a .219 average at home, with three home runs and 18 RBIs. His OPS is .182 points higher away from Minute Maid Park with his slugging percentage increasing by .115 points. Part of that is his increased extra-base power, hitting eight of his 12 doubles on the road.

Gurriel is a very good hitter for the Astros to have at the bottom of the lineup to provide depth offensively. Look for him to break out on this seven-game road trip next week.

Luke Gregerson

For a pitcher, it is very hard to find success away from their home ballpark. However, Astros reliever Luke Gregerson has flipped that stereotype on its head in 2017.

This season, Gregerson has struggled as a whole. With a .276 batting average against, the right-hander has a career high 5.19 ERA with a 1.50 WHIP. In only 26 innings of work this season, he has already surpassed his home runs given up last season with six and has given up 29 hits, nine away from matching 2016’s total.

However, the majority of that has happened at home. In 13.2 innings of work, Gregerson has a 9.22 ERA with a 1.90 WHIP and a .333 batting average against, blowing both of his save opportunities.

With that kind of home numbers, Gregerson has actually been spectacular on the road. In 12.1 innings, he has a 0.73 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and a .200 batting average against. Giving up only one of his six home runs away from his home ballpark, Gregerson seems to be back to his normal self, striking out 16 batters.

It is shocking how much Gregerson changes as a pitcher depending on where his team is playing. It will be interesting to see if one of those stats gives way and becomes more like normal in the coming weeks.

Jose Altuve

Jose Altuve is the best pure hitter in baseball. Plain and simple. The short second baseman has proved that he can hit no matter what ballpark he is in.

To see the difference in his home and away numbers, let us look at his work in Minute Maid Park. They are not even close to being the type of numbers Astros fans expect Altuve to put up. With a .243 batting average, Altuve has a .656 OPS with only a .291 on-base percentage. He has 27 strikeouts compared to seven walks at home and has only scored 16 runs.

With the ugly numbers out of the way, now it is time to look at the historically good numbers on the road. Altuve has a .416 batting average, a .500 on-base percentage, and a .690 slugging percentage, adding up to a 1.190 OPS. He has hit six of his nine home runs on the road, driving in 18 RBIs and scoring himself 27 times. Also, he is a much more patient hitter, walking 18 times compared to his 12 strikeouts.

Next: Astros in Fantasy: Derek Fisher's Impact

Those are the numbers that put Altuve into All-Star consideration. Now, if only someone can teach him how to hit at Minute Maid Park.

***Stats provided by ESPN.com and MLB.com***