Astros May Statistical Month in Review: Batting.

Here’s the Astros’ May statistical month in review. Today, we’ll look at hitting. Tomorrow we’ll focus on pitching.

The Astros finished the month 15-12, and for the year 29-24, currently second in the AL, one-half game behind Oakland. Their run differential for year-to-date is 57, with 284 runs scored and 227 allowed, which by the Pythagorean W-L formula would translate to a 32-21 record. The 284 runs lead the AL.

Here’s how Astros hitters compare to the American League. (Following stats do not include May 31)

Overall the Astros have overtaken the White Sox as the #1 hitting team in terms of wRC+ with a May that was even stronger than April. Although for the year the Astros still lead the league in runs, despite having the best overall wRC+ this month, they were third in runs in May.

In May the best hitting teams in the AL by wRC+ are, in order, Toronto (124), Houston (121), Tampa Bay (117), Chicago (116), Oakland, (113).

Overall the top 5 are: Houston (116), Chicago (115), Toronto (112), Boston (110), Tampa Bay (108)

(Just in case you are interested in the Yankees, somehow they are below average at 98)

For the year the Astros are seventh in Exit Velocity at 89.2, slightly ahead of April, and sixth in hard-hit % at 39.7%, also up from April.

Key Takeaways

The players on this chart are organized according to the overall season performance using OPS and wRC+. So Yuli Gurriel has the best overall hitting statistics for the year and Martin Maldonado has the worst.

For May it is another picture, with Kyle Tucker finally breaking out, (his BABIP is still a slightly low .278 for May, .221 overall) leading the team in OPS, wRC+, home runs, and overall xwOBA. The difference between his wOBA and xwOBA is the greatest of any player on the team as well.

Following Tucker in May stats are Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman, and Jose Altuve.

For the entire month, we have seen a normalization of Martin Maldonado’s numbers upward, some improvement in Myles Straw, and Jose Altuve’s May numbers are looking like Altuve from peak years.

Slumping in May are Michael Brantley and Yuli Gurriel.

Leaderboards

For the season, the Astros have six batters in the top 31 in terms of wRC+. they are:

Yuli Gurriel (9)

Yordan Alvarez (16)

Alex Bregman (19)

Carlos Correa (27)

Michael Brantley (28)

Jose Altuve (31)

By xwOBA Kyle Tucker is 7th in the league.

Astros War leaders for the season are, Alex Bregman, 1.8 (13th), Carlos Correa, 1.7 (15th), Yuli Gurriel, 1.4 (22nd), Kyle Tucker, 1.4 (25th), and Jose Altuve, 1.2 (31st)

Questions

Will Yordan Alvarez have a long healthy career?

Currently out with sore wrists, after missing last season with sore knees, it’s bad/sad that we even have to ask. Alvarez and Tucker could be the best left-handed tandem since...Ruth/Gehrig? Surely there are others, commenters?

Is Chas McCormick making a case at starting CF?

In one-third the playing time McCormick has 0.2 fWAR, Myles Straw 0.3. Chas McCormick’s wRC+ is 102, Straw’s 77. Yes, small sample.

Is Altuve over the hill?

He looks as good as ever in May, even runs as fast. His 28.6 ft/sec sprint speed is 44th in the league, just behind Myles Straw’s 28.7. It is the highest of his career at age 31.

Why isn’t Jason Castro playing more?

In half the PA’s, Castro has 0.6 fWAR, Maldonado 0.0.