Astros in Fantasy: 2017 Season Recap

Which Houston Astros players had the biggest positive and negative impacts in fantasy baseball in the 2017 season?

It’s been an up-and-down season for fantasy owners relying on Astros players. If you’ve had position players, generally they’ve done pretty well. The pitching staff had some difficulties, however, often not meeting expectations. Below are the best overall players, the biggest surprises and the biggest busts.

Best Position Player: Jose Altuve

Altuve was as good as advertised, if not better. He’s arguably the frontrunner for the AL MVP award and more than justified being a first-round fantasy pick. And unlike many of his teammates, he remained healthy and consistent throughout the year. A .346 average, 24 homers, 32 steals and 39 doubles makes for a great fantasy season.

Best Pitcher: Ken Giles

Giles was one of the few Astros pitchers who was both healthy and productive over the entire season. He also delivered on being drafted among the top 10 or 12 relief pitchers, racking up the strikeouts and notching 34 saves. Fantasy owners had to be happy with drafting him.

Surprise Position Player: Marwin Gonzalez

Pretty much no one saw this coming. Gonzalez often went undrafted, thanks to a history of unspectacular production and inconsistent playing time. But the switch-hitter broke out in a big way with a .303 average and 23 homers. Plus, his eligibility at multiple positions made him even more valuable. Draft him next year.

Surprise Pitcher: Brad Peacock

Peacock is the pitching version of Gonzalez. No one saw this breakout coming, and Peacock ended up being eligible as both a starter and reliever. He finished with a 13-2 record and a 3.00 ERA with 161 strikeouts in 132 innings. Not bad for a waiver wire pickup.

Position Player Bust: Carlos Beltran

After his strong 2016 season, owners expected Beltran to be a fantasy contributor. Instead, he found himself dropped in most leagues. The 40-year-old posted just a .231 average with 14 homers, meaning if he plays again next season, he likely won’t be drafted.

Pitcher Bust: Lance McCullers

Next: Lance McCullers open to a bullpen role for playoffs

McCullers’ effectiveness was never in question coming into this season. His health was the main concern, and he again struggled with it. After a brilliant first half, his health and effectiveness suffered down the stretch. Overall, he made 22 starts of 4.25-ERA ball. Not exactly worthy of a starting fantasy spot.

***Statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference***