Weak AL West is giving Astros lifeline despite glaring problem nobody can ignore

The sky is falling on the Houston Astros, but are things really as bad as they seem? The injury waves keep on coming, with Yainer Diaz representing the latest victim claimed. The pitching continues to put up a disastrous performance, and the fielders aren't doing anything to pick them up. At 16-23 heading into the action on May 9, it might seem like it's time to pack it in.

Yet, despite all these woes, the Astros sit just 4.5 games behind the first-place Athletics. The A's sit atop the AL West at 20-18. They're the only club over .500 in the division. It's clear that the Seattle Mariners have taken a step back and perhaps overachieved last season. The Texas Rangers have been on a downswing for a while. The Los Angeles Angels, well, they're the Angels.

In 2024, Houston began the year 12-24 and then went on a tear and ultimately won the division. If it feels like the scene is set for another such run, you're not wrong, but the Astros are running out of time to make it happen.

The Astros are still alive in the AL West, but can they hang on until the cavalry comes?

While the injuries are dismal, there is some hope in the Astros' latest injury report. Tatsuya Imai will be back in the next few days, though how he performs will be the true barometer of whether or not that is a true boost.

However, the really good news is that Jeremy Peña is on the verge of beginning a rehab assignment. Hunter Brown should be back not long after. Ditto for Bennett Sousa. These returns aren't everything, but they will help.

At the same time, some of Houston's young players have started to heat up. Brice Matthews is coming alive and showing why he was considered to be such a dynamic prospect. Spencer Arrighetti has been a lone bright spot in a sea of despair on the pitching front. Then, of course, you have Yordan Alvarez, who has been on an MVP-type of tear ever since the season began. Those are some real positives, and when the injured stars return, there's a chance these factors could combine nicely and brighter days could be ahead.

However, in the interim, the club cannot afford to lose any more ground. Doing so might be signing their death warrant, rendering the boosts they're about to receive a moot point. So for now, the Astros will need to tread water. They might need to do even more than that and begin cutting into the deficit a bit. If they can, they might find that they'll be okay. If they continue to suffer persistent struggles, none of this will matter.

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