Houston Astros’ Seventh-Inning Problem: How to Stop Late Collapses

The Houston Astros have always drawn praise for their elite bullpen. Dominant arms like Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader usually lock down the late innings.

But dig a little deeper, and there’s a problem lurking — nobody really owns the seventh inning. With Hader hurt and the trade deadline now in the rearview, manager Joe Espada has to get creative in those high-leverage spots. Who bridges the gap to the stars?

This piece takes a look at Houston’s bullpen puzzle, the thinking behind their trade deadline moves, and what choices are left to patch the relief corps.

Houston’s Late-Inning Powerhouse

When both are healthy, Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader form a terrifying late-game combo. These two thrive under pressure, shutting down hitters and leaving runners stranded.

The Seventh-Inning Gap

Even with that strength, the seventh inning keeps tripping up Houston. Without a dependable arm before Abreu and Hader, Espada has to juggle matchups and hope for the best.

Hader’s injury just made this flaw more obvious.

Missed Opportunities at the Trade Deadline

Plenty of fans expected Houston to chase a reliever before the deadline. Instead, the front office stayed quiet on big names.

• Asking prices from sellers got out of hand
• The Astros’ prospect pool is thin after past deals
• They focused on boosting the starting rotation instead

So, instead of landing a proven seventh-inning guy, Houston grabbed some depth pieces and upside plays. The bullpen hole remains.

Pressly vs. de los Santos

One storyline was the choice not to bring back Ryan Pressly. Sure, Pressly’s resume is solid, but his velocity is down and his expected ERA (xERA) is worrisome. Still, he knows how to put up zeroes, which is tempting.

Houston went with Enyel de los Santos instead, picking him up from a struggling team. Maybe he finds his groove with a change of scenery. That’s the hope, anyway.

Evaluating the In-House Options

With no clear answer, the Astros are trying out different arms in the seventh. Each pitcher brings something different, but nobody’s taken the job for good yet.

• Steven Okert – Tough on lefties, but shaky versus right-handers.
• Bennett Sousa – Another lefty who’s good in certain matchups.
• Kaleb Ort – Throws hard, might handle righties, but hasn’t proven it in big moments.
• Enyel de los Santos – The wild card. If his numbers bounce back, maybe he’s the answer.

The Role of Left-On-Base Percentage

One stat worth watching is Left-On-Base Percentage (LOB%). Abreu and Hader strand runners better than almost anyone. It’s impressive, but some of that might be luck, and luck can run out.

Managerial Strategy Going Forward

For now, Espada’s going to keep mixing and matching. Sousa and Okert will get the call against lefties. Ort and de los Santos will try to handle right-handed power.

Balancing Analytics with Instinct

Modern bullpens lean hard on advanced data now, but postseason baseball? That’s still a game of feel and momentum. Espada’s real challenge is blending analytics with his own gut — knowing when to trust the numbers and when to just go with what feels right.

For the Astros, the seventh inning isn’t just a bridge. It’s a tightrope walk between winning and losing.

If someone steps up and owns that role, Houston’s bullpen could strike fear into anyone again. Until then, the late-inning dominance of Abreu and Hader feels a bit shaky—especially with cracks showing an inning too soon.

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Here is the source article for this story: The Seventh Inning Problem