Isaac Paredes’ 2026 struggles show total loss of progress in key area of 2025 growth

For all the hullabaloo about the Houston Astros infield logjam over the offseason, things have more or less worked themselves out. We wondered how the Astros would give one of their best hitters, Isaac Paredes, a full complement of at-bats. The way things have gone hasn't been ideal. Jeremy Peña's injuries have limited him to just 10 games, clearing a path for regular playing time for Paredes. The problem is that Paredes hasn't been one of Houston's better bats this year.

The 27-year-old opened the season cold. What had always made him dangerous was his ability to stay patient, draw walks, and pull mistakes in the air for optimum damage. That hasn't happened as much as it needs to in 2026.

Paredes' walk rate typically sits over 11%, a stellar mark for sure. However, through 28 games this year, it's fallen to a much more pedestrian 8.6% rate. The reason behind it has been an uncharacteristic propensity to chase out of the zone.

In 2025, Paredes rarely expanded the zone. His 21.4% chase rate was elite, ranking in the 90th percentile. That discipline helped him wait for his pitch to drive, yielding a solid .458 slugging percentage. So far in 2026, he's chasing much more frequently at 29.3%, a 50th percentile mark, yielding some weaker contact overall and a .392 SLG.

Breaking balls, in particular, have given Paredes fits. He's hitting .143 against sliders and .083 against curveballs. The ineffectiveness against breakers feeds into both the chase issues and the regression in slugging.

Astros are finally seeing Isaac Paredes turn things around, but it might already be too late

There's a good news-bad news situation here. Over his last 10 games heading into May, Paredes has heated up. In that span, he's hit .350 with three homers and a .956 OPS. That's just what you want to see.

But for various reasons, it might already be too little, too late. It was just a couple of weeks ago that it looked like Paredes' once-potent trade value had been nerfed, but while it seems to be rising, Peña is about to begin a rehab assignment, threatening to relegate the 27-year-old to the bench once more before he can really take off. The impending cut in playing time could throw him off track, and/or make potential buyers wary of buying in if he continues to hit well despite more limited action.

There's another problem, too. The Astros' putrid start may have put them so far behind the eight ball that rebounding and competing are nothing more than a fever dream. They needed Paredes to show out early (and many other things, too), and now it might already be too late.

If his trade value doesn't fully rebound and the Astros can't get back into the thick of an underwhelming AL West, they'll be in a bad way as his playing time winds down. Paredes might be overcoming the specific issues that plagued him early on, but it might already be too late. His bed, and by extension the Astros' bed as well, might already be made.

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