Astros Swept by Giants as Strikeouts and Stranded Runners Mount in Early Going

The Houston Astros are still looking for an offensive identity six games into the 2025 season, and the version they have shown so far has not been pleasing. A 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday afternoon completed a three-game sweep, the first by San Francisco against Houston since 2012.

It was also the first time the Astros have been swept at home since the opening series of 2024 against the New York Yankees. Houston struck out a season-high 14 times in the defeat. The club has now reached double-digit strikeouts in three of its six games and has 54 total, the 12th-most in Major League Baseball.

Giants starter Landen Roupp, 26, was responsible for eight of those strikeouts, a career high in just his fifth major league start. He leaned on his curveball, using it to finish seven of his eight strikeouts and generating 11 swings and misses on 16 throws. He opened the game by striking out the side on 16 pitches, with Jose Altuve's whiff on a low-and-inside changeup his only strikeout that did not come on a curve.

Manager Joe Espada pointed to the opposition. "The only thing I can say is that we've faced some pretty good pitching," he said, adding that he knows the team will cut down on the punchouts. Altuve agreed, noting that the Giants pitchers "look good." San Francisco struck out Houston 31 times over the series and held the club to six runs. Jordan Hicks, a Houston native, blanked the Astros over six innings on Monday, and Logan Webb struck out six over seven innings Tuesday, allowing only an Altuve solo homer.

A bigger concern than the strikeouts may be the lack of production with runners in scoring position. Houston went 2-for-7 in those situations Wednesday and left nine runners on base. For the season the Astros are 5-for-32, a .156 average that ranks fourth worst in the majors.

The fifth inning illustrated the problem. With the Astros trailing 5-3, two walks and an Altuve single loaded the bases with nobody out and the heart of the order due up. Yordan Alvarez lined a ball into right field that was first scored an error on Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt but was changed to a hit, giving Alvarez his third of the year. Houston then got nothing more: Christian Walker popped out to shallow left, Yainer Diaz struck out swinging against a 99 mph Randy Rodriguez fastball, and Jeremy Peña struck out on a slider.

"I feel like we've found ourselves in that spot and we haven't been able to come through," Espada said, citing ground-ball double plays and hard-hit balls right at fielders. Walker, now 2-for-12 with five strikeouts with runners on base since joining Houston, said he has not been happy with his at-bats. "It's up to us to make the adjustment," he said, calling it no excuse and saying he can make better decisions and control the batter's box better.

Still, the Astros expressed confidence. Espada said the team is getting good at-bats and favorable counts, and noted five walks Wednesday. "We're one big swing away," he said. Altuve echoed that, saying the hitters are getting the right swings and one or two more games of adjustments could change things. Walker acknowledged the team may be "searching for an identity at the plate a little bit," but said, "it's a long season."

The search continues on the road. Houston opens its first road trip of the year with a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins starting Thursday, followed by a series against the Seattle Mariners next week. Both clubs have rotations among the best in the American League. Espada said the team has to set aside both its struggles and the challenge ahead: "We've got to put that aside and get ready for a new series."