Report Card Series: Grading the Houston Astros' 2022 Rotation

Grading the Houston Astros' 2022 Starters

The 2022 Houston Astros secured their second World Series in franchise history. After 106 wins and a world championship, it's safe to say most members of the team performed well and met or exceeded expectations.

This offseason, Climbing Tal's Hill will be offering up their report card for the 2022 Astros. Kicking off the series, we'll review their starting rotation.

The Astros rode a dominant rotation to great success throughout the season, as their starters collectively went 84-39 with a 2.95 ERA and 1.066 WHIP. Their overpowering rotation consistently went deep into games, allowing the bullpen, also a dominant force, to stay fresh. Aside from a few small critiques, not much can be said negatively about the Astros' starters. So let's dive in.

Disclaimer: Lance McCullers Jr. and Hunter Brown will not be appearing on the list, as they didn't spend a full season in the rotation. Each will receive a future grade.

1) Justin Verlander

What more is there to say about the unanimous Cy Young winner, Justin Verlander? Fresh off of Tommy John surgery, Verlander made 28 starts for the Astros, punishing opposing lineups en route to 18 wins. His 4-seam fastball/slider combination held opponents to a .186 batting average against and a .497 OPS. At age 39, his fastball somehow had the highest average velocity of any season in his Astros' tenure.

Verlander's 0.89 WHIP, 1.75 ERA and 220 ERA+ all led the MLB during the regular season. Over the course of his 28 regular season starts, he was completely un-hittable.

Unfortunately, Verlander's postseason performance left much to be desired. In Verlander's four playoff starts, he went 2-0 with a 5.85 ERA. His line could have been even more unsightly, but the heroic comeback in Game 1 of the ALDS and five runs in the first three innings of World Series Game 1 kept him from taking a loss in either game.

Verlander did finally pick up his first career World Series win with a bounce back in Game 5 in what was possibly his last start as an Astro.

Were the scoring based simply on the regular season, Verlander would have received a 100 on his report card, an A+. But when you're the best pitcher in baseball, you need to answer the bell in October. His playoff woes ding him ever so slightly.

Justin Verlander's 2022 Report Card: A (94/100)

2) Framber Valdez

The Astros' co-ace was historic in 2022, setting an AL record with 25 consecutive quality starts. He took the ball 31 times for Houston in 2022, finishing 17-6 with a 2.82 ERA, and 1.16 WHIP. His durability was a massive asset for the team, as Valdez recorded a league-leading 201.1 innings pitched, faced 827 batters, led the AL with three complete games and yielded a microscopic 0.5 HR/9, best in the game.

Simply put when Valdez took the mound for Houston, they received quality and they received length. Valdez' elite body of work was enough to finish fifth in the AL Cy Young race, his first time recording a top-five finish.

Valdez' rise from inconsistent rotation afterthought to Cy Young candidate has been remarkable.

Even more remarkable, Valdez somehow was even better in October than he was in the regular season. In 4 playoff starts, Framber finished 3-0, including the win in Game 6 of the World Series.

He terrorized the Mariners, Yankees and Phillies, recording 33 strikeouts in 25 innings and holding their lineups to a 1.44 ERA.

When Valdez took the hill, the opposition knew they were in for a long day and would likely head home on the wrong end of the box score. His dominance in the regular season was good for an A. His October dominance boosts him to an A+.

Framber Valdez' 2022 Report Card: A+ (98/100)

4) Luis Garcia

The lone potential "underachiever" in the 2022 rotation, Luis Garcia finished 15-8 with a 3.72 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. By no means was Garcia a poor starter, but he didn't take the anticipated step forward from last season to this season, seeing a rise in ERA and a drop in strikeouts per nine.

Most of this can be explained in his erratic performances. 2022 for Garcia can best be summarized as a rollercoaster. His good was really good: 4-0 in September/October with a 1.86 ERA in five starts. His bad, however, was really bad: a 5.28 ERA in five starts in August.

Garcia finished with a 3.20 ERA in his starts ending with a win or a no decision, but in Garcia's eight losses, he recorded an ERA of 5.00. His unpredictability made for a somewhat disappointing season, but only because he had such high expectations.

His performance in Game 3 of the ALDS bumps his mark slightly higher. Garcia threw five scoreless innings in relief, preserving the shutout into the 18th inning and earning the win. The legendary relief outing has been somewhat forgotten due to the World Series no-hitter and heroics of Pressly, Abreu and other relievers, but what Garcia did that night in saving both the rotation and the bullpen cannot be overstated. It was a massive performance in a playoff run filled with them, and it increases his score for the 2022 season.

Luis Garcia's 2022 Report Card: B (84/100)

5) José Urquidy

The last member of the full-season rotation, Urquidy went 13-8 with a 3.94 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.

Like Garcia, Urquidy was up-and-down throughout the season. In his 13 wins, Urquidy recorded a 2.94 ERA and a 0.992 WHIP. In his eight losses, Urquidy looked like a AAA spot starter, posting a 7.52 ERA and a 1.746 WHIP. To be fair, Urquidy was solid against most teams outside of Seattle. In five starts against the Mariners, Urquidy was 1-3 with a 6.31 ERA.

Against all non-Mariner foes Urquidy finished with a 3.50 ERA, a more than respectable number.

His name came up in trade talks, but nothing came to fruition after Dusty Baker and Jim Crane nixed a deal that would have sent Urquidy to Chicago for Willson Contreras. With three remaining years of team control, this was likely a wise move.

Urquidy is a tremendous option as a fifth (or in the Astros' case) sixth starter. He may never win a Cy Young or make an All-Star team, but he's likely a #3 on other teams. A piece like Urquidy is what makes Houston's rotation so deep.

Additionally, he is a nails pitcher in the World Series. Urquidy made his fifth career World Series appearance in Game 3 of the Phillies' win over Houston. Urquidy recorded three scoreless innings, salvaging the bullpen and playing a hugely underrated role in setting up Houston to rip off three consecutive wins.

For his career, Urquidy now holds a 1.23 ERA in his 5 World Series appearances. For a team that gets there as often as Houston, that sure is a nice asset to have.

While nothing spectacular, Jose Urquidy met expectations as the Astros' final arm in the rotation. His 2022 season was solid and look for more of the same in 2023.

Jose Urquidy's 2022 Report Card: B- (82/100)