Perhaps the clearest indication that the Astros are poised to make a jump this season and field a competitive team relative to their most recent struggles is the ongoing construction of their potential bench.
Last season, the Astros relied upon the likes of Matt Dominguez, Jonathan Villar, Marwin Gonzalez and Alex Presley to fill varying roles of significance during their 70-win campaign. But a handful of offseason acquisitions, most notably Luis Valbuena, Jed Lowrie and Colby Rasmus, have altered the dynamic of the team and nudged key contributors from last season to the bench, which in turn strengthens the overall roster.
With Rasmus and Evan Gattis in the fold, the Astros have an abundance of outfield options. That has resulted in a spirited battle between Robbie Grossman, Presley and L.J. Hoes for a coveted spot. Valbuena has bumped Dominguez across the diamond from third base to first, where Jon Singleton (and, potentially, Chris Carter) is already in the mix. Lowrie makes Gonzalez a valuable reserve middle infielder.
“There are a lot of different ways we can roll the roster out there. Fortunately for us, they’re all playing well,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said of his secondary position players, a group that also includes middle infielders Gregorio Petit and Villar. “It’s a good dilemma to have and they’re all stating their case pretty well.”
Of course, there are only so many slots available on the 25-man roster, and with logjams in the outfield and at first base, competition is fierce. At first blush, Gonzalez and Grossman appear the safest bets as reserves, but Dominguez and Villar offer power potential and both are under 25.
The Astros lack the star power present on rosters in the American League West, but their first step back toward respectability is filling the holes on their bench. This spring, they appear in line to do exactly that.
