On normal days, a 7-2 loss would’ve momentarily hurt the Houston Astros but they’d have moved on immediately. However, 2024 isn’t a normal year, and this Astros team is understanding it in the toughest way possible. With that loss to the Chicago Cubs, the Astros now have a 7-17 record. This is the first time they’ve been in 10 games under .500 since 2016, back when they were 18-28. However, unlike that season, things are looking bleaker than ever for the Astronauts.

It’s amazing when one looks at the fact that it took 8 years for the Astros to go 10 games below .500. That once again highlights the unreal domination the teams had in those years. However, all good things must end someday—is this that moment for the Astros? It’s certainly an eerie way for Joe Espada to start his managerial tenure.

Famous insider Randy McIlvoy has shockingly predicted the Houston Astros’ season could be over soon. McIlvoy noticed something that the entire fanbase has been complaining about: the clubhouse looks leaderless. That has led to the Astros losing their famous urgency and their fire to win. McIlvoy noted that if things didn’t change soon, the team’s season could be done by early June.

If that prediction holds true, it could be an unthinkable event for most Astros fans. This team has won two World Series since 2017 (that year and 2022) and has played in two more (2019 and 2021). As a result, they’ve been the closest to a dynasty we’ve had since the New York Yankees in the early 2000s. So it’ll certainly be shocking if this dynasty falls in such an anti-climactic fashion. 

But then, despite the current bad form, there is still a lot of quality in the Astros squad. They’re still a “good team”—that’s what the clubhouse has continued to believe in during these tough times.

Is a spark incoming? Or are the Houston Astros staring at a rebuild?

Jose Altuve said to The Athletic “We have great players, guys encouraging each other to go out there and win games.” However, Altuve noted that currently, things aren’t looking good for the team, but they can bounce back soon. All they need is one good game to start their stretch of winning consecutive games. Also, it cannot be ignored that five of the Astros’ starting pitchers are on the injured list.

Any team would break apart after such a massive injury crisis. That has brought on an interesting situation: could the Astros continue to depend on their fast-depleting farm or go through the trade route? That could certainly prove to be a massive decision that their entire season hinges on. 

So while it isn’t wise to completely write off the Astros yet, they are getting quite close to that point. If things don’t change soon, baseball might witness an era ending soon. However, until that comes to pass, the astronauts do deserve some benefit of the doubt.