Astros' bats going silent after the trade deadline should raise huge red flags

After getting rave reviews as one of the 2025 trade deadline's biggest winners, things have not gone according to plan for the Houston Astros. Even with a litany of injuries, the club seemed to be firing on all cylinders in June and heading into the July trade frenzy, poised to improve both via returns from IL and deadline additions.

Carlos Correa was supposed to stabilize third base after the brutal loss of Isaac Paredes. Jesus Sanchez was supposed to address their biggest need, and the very early returns looked positive. Jeremy Peña's return to the lineup was supposed to provide a huge boost amid his breakout season.

Traveling to Detroit this week for a three-game set that could serve as a playoff preview, the new look Astros fell short, way short. Following two consecutive shutouts, Houston fell 7-2 in the series finale and has a quick turnaround, traveling to Baltimore for a rematch of last weekend's series that saw the club lose two out of three to the lowly Orioles.

Houston has a problem, and it needs to get its act together fast. If it can't, the season could unravel fast.

The Astros' offense has gone silent since the trade deadline, which could jeopardize the entire season

Since August 1, the Houston Astros have been one of the least productive offenses in baseball. The club ranks 28th in runs scored since the deadline with 66 over 19 games. That's a pitiful 3.47 runs per game.

Jesus Sanchez has posted a .569 OPS since arriving in Houston. Jeremy Peña's contact prowess hasn't been on display since returning from the IL, batting just .231 in the month of August. Jose Altuve's scorching hot July, when he posted a 1.055 OPS, has cooled off considerably. Since the deadline, he's managed a pedestrian .702 mark, which is in line with what he's done every other month of the season save for July. Free-agent bust Christian Walker still has yet to put it together and is hitting just .224 so far this month.

The one saving grace has been Carlos Correa. Seemingly rejuvenated since returning to the Astros, the prodigal son has slashed .338/.390/.465. Still, it's hard to count solely on a player who has struggled to stay healthy and productive at the same time over the last few years.

Yordan Alvarez is finally progressing towards a return to the lineup, which will be a big boost, assuming he shakes off whatever cobwebs dragged him down to begin the year, but the Astros can't place all of the weight on him alone.

If the club is going to fend off the Seattle Mariners for the division crown and then make noise in October, they're going to need multiple pieces clicking at the same time. They're also going to need to prove that they can hit good pitching. As things currently stand, it's not a guarantee that either of those things will come to fruition.

More Astros News from Climbing Tal's Hill