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Despite some recent struggles, a Houston Astros playoff berth is nearly a lock with the club battling with the Seattle Mariners for AL West supremacy. Whether or not the Astros can hold off their Pacific Northwest rivals and take the division crown, or have to settle for a Wild Card slot, is very much an open question, but thanks to some unexpected performances, Houston will likely be in the October dance.
Those unexpected contributors, guys who either flew under the radar or were completely written off when the season kicked off in late-March, now stand to be X-factors in the Astros' hopeful playoff run. Should they shock everyone and continue exceeding expectations, these three players will likely be big reasons why.
3 Astros who weren't on fans' radar in March but could become playoff X-factors
Jake Meyers, Astros centerfielder
As one of the most maligned players in the organization entering the 2025 season, expectations for Jake Meyers weren't high amongst the Houston faithful. After a flashy debut in 2021, which saw Meyers pair stellar defense in center with a promising bat that recorded a 109 wRC+ over 49 games, Meyers fell flat in the three years that followed.
There were small signs of progress, such as cutting his strikeout rate down from 33.8% in 2022 to 25.8% in 2023 and finally 22.8% in 2024, but overall Meyers failed to consistently produce at the dish, recording performances that ranged from 13% to 34% below league average.
Now entering his age-29 season, there was little hope that Meyers could turn it around, and fans expected more of the same — a solid glove in the outfield and a limp noodle at the plate.
Then the bright lights of the regular season came on, Meyers began to make fans eat their words. With a .306/.366/.392 line on the season, Meyers has transformed himself into a reliable contact and on-base threat. Now, he's poised to be an X-factor for Houston in the playoffs, serving as both a defensive wizard and lineup lengthener for an Astros team that desperately needs quality at-bats.
Steven Okert, Astros relief pitcher
After a 5.09 ERA in 2024 with the Minnesota Twins, forced Steven Okert to settle for a minor league free agent contract with the Astros back in November, it would be easy to say expectations weren't high for the 34-year-old southpaw reliever.
However, a strong spring training earned Okert a spot on the opening day roster, and since then, he's established himself as one of Houston's most trusted setup men. With a strong 31.3% strikeout rate on the season, Okert has proven that he's not just a lefty specialist. Yes, left-handed hitters are batting just .183 against him, but he's also dominated righties to the tune of a nearly identical .189 average.
In critical moments, Okert has risen to the occasion, often getting big outs to work out of jams. He's allowed a .251 wOBA with the bases empty this season, which drops to .224 with men on base, and plummets even lower to an absolutely dominant .199 mark with runners in scoring position.
Now heading into the postseason, Okert figures to factor prominently into Joe Espada's bullpen calculus, providing a reliable bridge to Houston's late-inning monsters.
AJ Blubaugh, Astros pitcher
What AJ Blubaugh's ultimate role would be on the postseason roster remains to be seen. As currently constructed, the 25-year-old right-hander is in Houston's rotation and would be battling the recently activated Cristian Javier for the fourth and final spot.
However, Blubaugh has been used primarily as a reliever during his time in the majors this season, only recently being inserted into the rotation thanks to an innumerable amount of injuries to Astros starters, including yet another IL stint for Lance McCullers Jr.
His most recent start, September 16 against the Texas Rangers, saw him only go three innings, but dazzle in the process, allowing just two hits and one walk while striking out seven. On the season now, Blubaugh has a 2.16 ERA over 25 innings pitched, thanks in large part to his eye-popping 32.3% strikeout rate.
This wasn't necessarily expected from Blubaugh, who ranks as the No. 16 prospect in a farm system that has been universally ranked as one of the worst in baseball. Even throughout his time at Triple-A Sugar Land this season, he hadn't shown this level of production, posting a 5.27 ERA over 22 appearances (19 starts).
As it stands now, however, Blubaugh should have an opportunity to make the Astros' postseason roster, and if he does, he could be a crucial contributor as either a starter or bulk option out of the pen. That wasn't something most Astros fans had on their bingo cards back in March, for sure.