Astros' World Series hero enjoying post-All-Star surge that rivals his 2022 playoff run

Astros fans are on cloud nine having watch their favorite team put some distance between themselves and the Seattle Mariners in recent weeks. The Houston Astros are one of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball.

And while there are number of players who could be singled out, one of their best performers over the past few weeks as been Jeremy Peña. While Yordan Álvarez, Alex Bregman, and Yainer Diaz have all been riding quite the hot streak of late, Peña oftentimes gets lost in the shuffle.

But Peña has been hitting .290/.340/.495 since the All-Star break. Nine of Peña's 27 hits during that stretch have gone for extra-bases, and the 26-year-old's power has been on full display, as he's posted five home runs during that span as well. Peña's play of late has been eerily similar to his playoff performance from two years ago when Houston took home the Commissioner's Trophy.

Astros' World Series hero enjoying post-All-Star surge that rivals his 2022 playoff run

With players like Álvarez, Bregman, and Jose Altuve on the roster, it's easy to forget the contributions that Peña provides. While his defense has been rather underwhelming this season, Peña's bat is heating up.

Peña took home the ALCS MVP in 2022 during the Astros' sweep of the New York Yankees. Peña was nearly unstoppable during that four-game series with a .353/.353/.824 slash line, four extra-base hits, and four RBI. The then-24-year-old doubled down on his efforts during the World Series by hitting .400/.423/.824 and helping to lead Houston to their second world championship.

The Astros are going to need Peña back to that level for the final month-plus and into the postseason if Houston hopes to replicate their world championship run from two years ago. Astros fans know what to expect from the likes of Altuve and Álvarez; they're proven commodities in the postseason. But if Peña can somehow summon that same type of energy, excitement, and production he brought during the Astros' 2022 playoff run, the Houston faithful would surely feel better about their chances in October.

The Astros got off to a 15-9 sprint since the All-Star break and now own a three-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. Peña doesn't receive the same type of recognition his All-Star counterparts do, but he can be just as valuable to this team's success as the others if he keeps hitting like he has over the past several weeks.

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