Ranking the Six Houston Astros That Fans Should be Most Thankful For

6) Martín Maldonado

Our lovable catcher kicks off the list. Much of Maldy’s excellence is behind the scenes. He’s not going to hit 30 home runs or rack up an OPS over .800, but his impact is just as valuable. 

His prep work is legendary. Machete’s fingerprints are all over the success of the rotation and bullpen, as his expert pitch calling and framing keep all of our pitchers both comfortable and locked in. If somebody does reach base, his Howitzer cannon of a right arm keeps them close at first. 

All Maldy does is put the team first, often at the expense of himself. He played half of the 2022 season with a broken hand and a sports hernia because his teammates needed him.

Beyond his on-field and clubhouse presence, his antics endear him to Houston. Be it dying his hair various colors at his daughter’s discretion, publicly recruiting free agents to re-sign, posing after sliding/stumbling into second base, or defending Jose Altuve while he finishes a home run trot, everything he does makes him even more lovable. 

To paraphrase his “They asked for Houston. They got Houston,” locker room comment, “We want Maldy. We’ve got Maldy. And we’re thankful for Maldy.”

5) Lance McCullers Jr.

No player on the team has pressed into Houston roots more than LMJ. His “Bury me in the H” sentiment has become a rally cry for the city. He’s decked out in Houston tattoos and rocks grills. He’s been brash in the face of controversy and pushed back on those bashing the franchise. 

2022 World Series struggles aside, he’s a proven big game performer. Who could forget closing out Houston in Game 7 with 24 straight curveballs, or the savage tweet following it? 

He stans for the city, he signed a team friendly contract extension, he’s battled through injury and he shows up when the lights are bright. Oh, and he’s a great trivia question answer as he’s the last pitcher to record an RBI in a World Series.

LMJ, we’re thankful to have you. 

4) Jeremy Peña

Astro fans entered 2022 with an air of uncertainty after losing a franchise icon in Carlos Correa to free agency. All Jeremy Peña did in response was rack up ALCS and World Series MVP honors while winning the Gold Glove at shortstop.

The rook supplied elite defense and walk-off home runs, pioneered a touching celebration in honor of his mom, endeared himself to the city walking up to Houston's own Paul Wall and somehow softened the blow of losing Correa.

Peña had impossible shoes to step into at the start of the season and managed to do so seamlessly. With Peña under team control through 2028, Astro fans should be thankful every day they'll get to watch the electric shortstop take the field day in and day out for the long haul.

3) A Healthy Alex Bregman

When Alex Bregman is healthy, very, very few hitters in the world are capable of what he can do at the plate. He racked up a .926 OPS in 2018 and a 1.015 in 2019. Bregs combined for 72 home runs, 88 doubles, 215 RBI and 215 walks.

Injuries plagued his 2020 and 2021 seasons, regressing from perennial MVP candidate to above-average hitter. The cage rat constantly made mechanical adjustments throughout the season, including training with Tom Brady's PT, leading to his best season since 2019.

He was rewarded with an American League Player of the Month in August after hitting .362 with seven home runs and an 1.133 OPS. He followed that month with a dominant postseason, hitting .294 with three home runs, 11 RBI and a .948 OPS. After his torrid playoff performance, Bregman is now the MLB's all-time leader in postseason home runs by a third-baseman.

It's no surprise the Astros won the World Series in 2022 after going home in 2021. Bregman's injury woes were too much to overcome in 2021, going 2-21 against Atlanta and getting dropped in the lineup on a team desperate for offense.

With his health, mechanics and swagger back, Bregman regained form and the Astros are back on top of the baseball world. Breggy, we're thankful you're here and we're thankful you're all the way back.

2) Yordan Alvarez

Just like the lineup, Yordan Alvarez is pencilled in just ahead of Alex Bregman on this list. No other team in the game possesses a left-handed slugger that can hit for average and possesses the level of plate discipline that Alvarez brings to the lineup.

The titan hits mammoth home run after mammoth home run, playing in a home ballpark that feels built specially for him.

Yordan showed a combination of enough improvement and continued health to justify 56 starts in Left Field this season and is trending towards playing there full-time in 2023. An ever-improving hitter and an ever-improving fielder, there is no end in sight to his upward trajectory.

Speaking of no end in sight...

Alvarez hit the two biggest home runs of the Astros' World Series push this October. With as close as the Seattle series was, who knows what happens had Houston dropped Game 1 and lost home-field advantage?

His titanic shot in Game 6 was the deciding blow of the series. Had he not gone deep, it's entirely likely the series would have tilted in Philadelphia's favor with Alex Bregman, Yuli Gurriel and Jose Altuve all suffering injuries in Games 5 & 6.

Without Yordan and his timely heroics, Houston may not have hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy this year. He's locked up through 2028 on a team-friendly deal and we are so lucky to have him in an Astros' uniform.

1) Jose Altuve

Could number one have been anybody else? He is the face of the franchise, the heartbeat of the team and an icon in the city. Jose has spent his entire career wearing navy and orange and has stockpiled iconic moment after iconic moment after iconic moment. 

Altuve won batting titles during the dark era and won rings during the Golden Era. He has built a Hall-of-Fame resume chock full of regular season accolades and October successes alike. He’s stood in the face of adversity and vitriol and continued to perform, leading the team both on & off the field. 

His community service is legendary, doing whatever it takes to change lives and put smiles on faces. He checks every box on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community. And the city loves him deeply for it. 

Next season, Jose will surpass 2,000 career hits. As he chases down immortality and the 3,000 hit club, plus a few more rings along the way, Astros' fans should stop and be thankful that Tuve is an Astro.