Mauricio Dubon is quietly putting together a stellar September for the Astros

Now that the Houston Astros have officially clinched another AL West title, it is time to reflect on how they have gotten to this point. Obviously guys like Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, Yainer Diaz, Yordan Álvarez, and Alex Bregman have played huge roles for the Astros in the second half. However, don't underestimate the contributions from Houston's utility man, Mauricio Dubon.

Ever since Dubon beat Houston in his arbitration hearing before the season, the versatile mite has done everything the Astros have asked of him. He has made multiple starts in 2024 at every single position on the field, other than catcher and pitcher. If we are being honest with ourselves, he could probably fill in in an emergency at either of those positions, too, but fans probably prefer to avoid the circumstances that would lead to that happening.

More crucial than his versatility, though, is that Dubon has continued to be a productive part of the Astros lineup. In fact, his play in September has been a big reason why Houston was able to close the division out.

Mauricio Dubon's strong September paved way to Astros' division title

Dubon has never been a guy with massive upside at the plate, but he shines the most when he is consistently putting the ball in play and setting the table for the Astros' big boppers. In 2024, his success in being "that guy" has been mixed, as he had a pretty strong first three months of the season before swooning a bit in July and August, felled by crummy batted ball luck, combined with his steadfast refusal to draw walks.

However, Dubon's September has seen him return to form. Across his first 57 plate appearances in the last month of the season, Dubon slashed .333/.351/.352 to help spur the clinch. His .703 OPS isn't all that exciting, due to his lack of power and tendency to go up to the plate hacking, but it also marks his second-best monthly OPS of the entire season, behind the .850 mark he posted back in May.

Has Dubon been the Astros' best hitter in September? Absolutely not. Houston has at least six guys including Kyle Tucker, Yordan Álvarez, and Yainer Diaz who have been strictly better. However, Dubon has given the Astros what they have needed: a bat that contributes towards the bottom of the lineup to keep innings going and help let the big dogs eat, while playing all over the field and providing breathers to his burly brethren. In his own unique way, that has made Dubon much more valuable than his already impressive numbers show.

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