Did you know about the Houston Astros‘ odd routine? As soon as April rolls on, they hit a speed bump, and their standings take a major hit. This year it was no different, simply déjà vu!

Houston entered Friday’s game with the San Diego Padres with an 8-10 record, sitting in last place in the American League West. By this point, any other franchise would be ringing alarm bells, but not the Astros. For them, this is routine, given that they have been at or below .500 through 18 games in each of their last four seasons. But even then, they had managed to claim the division crown.

Hence, it’s not surprising that even after such a result, insiders like Jesse Rogers wholeheartedly believe that the Astros will bounce back. Even though Rogers did point out the major problem or flaw the team seems to be having now.

During Baseball Tonight by Buster Olney, insider Rogers offered a bold take on the state of the Astros. “It feels from afar that they are just trying to find a new identity because Tucker moved on…. Brady is the No.3 hitter on the team, or should he be lower? Maybe that applies to the pitching staff as well. They are trying to find themselves. I think in that division, they will have enough time to figure that out and win it.” And while he isn’t wrong, the statistics do echo that sentiment.

Ahead of Friday’s game against the Padres, Houston’s offense was almost silent. They ranked 26th in team batting average (.216) and were even tied for 24th in runs scored. They even posted a .617 OPS. However, like Rogers, not everyone has given up on the Astros. “You’ve got to trust these guys’ track record,” said analyst David Cone. “Yordan Alvarez is one of the best left-handed hitters I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s going to hit. You just wait.”

And, indeed, Cone’s words came true. Against the Padres, the Astros found their spark again.  They broke a 13-game pattern of alternating wins and losses and gave a solid performance. And it wasn’t Alvarez who was the hero of the day. Instead, it was Cam Smith!

Houston Astros’ big gamble pays off with Cam Smith

The Astros made a bold move before the Opening Day. They promoted their top prospect, Smith, straight to MLB, skipping the usual minor league tour. Sure, it was a risk, but the question was, was it a calculated risk? At first, it seemed like the risk was not well thought out because Smith’s numbers in the first 14 games were underwhelming. He went just a .200 average, a homer, and six RBIs. But on Friday, he proved to everyone why the Astros’ faith in him is justified.

With the Astros trailing 1-0 in the second inning, Smith hit a 403-foot three-run homer. Then two innings later, he did it again. And just like that, he became the youngest Astro since Yordan Alvarez in 2019 to hit two home runs in the same game. Not bad, right, especially for a rookie? Those home runs helped the team get a win over one of MLB’s best teams. Not to mention, the lineup is devoid of Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker now.

However, Smith proved his worth, even though he is just a rookie. His start might have been bumpy, but with a .449 slugging percentage in his 54 appearances, Smith might finally be settling in. Dana Brown compared Smith to an “aircraft carrier” just back in spring. And well, this Friday he looked like one. Many think Smith is the next big thing in the Astros franchise, and it’s easy to see why.

Now, maybe it was a one-game thing. Or maybe this is the turning point for the Houston Astros on the way to “trying to find themselves,” as Rogers mentioned. What do you think? Let us know.