Houston Astros Reportedly Cutting Star Catcher’s Playing Time

The Houston Astros entered the offseason knowing they were going to make a change at catcher and move on from Martin Maldonado who has been a staple behind the plate for them since 2019.

Never known as a gifted offensive player, what he brought to the clubhouse and the position he played was far superior to the negative metrics he produced with bat in hand.

But as Maldonado reached 37, the front office knew they would have to make a decision, especially regarding the performance of their star rookie Yainer Diaz when given the opportunity to play by Dusty Baker.

So, they finally moved on from the veteran and handed the reins to Diaz for the 2024 season, bringing in Victor Caratini as his replacement.

With more at-bats given to the emerging star, the Astros’ offense was expected to excel without Maldonado bringing them down.

Instead, the opposite happened.

Houston has struggled to score runs and hit at the same rate as in recent years. Compared to his slash line of .282/.308/.538 with 23 homers and 60 RBIs last season, Diaz looks like a completely different hitter, sitting at .249/.278/.358 with just three homers and 23 runs scored. produced in just over .282/.308/.538 with 23 homers and 60 RBIs last season. half the number of bats it had in 2023.

Based on what manager Joe Espada has done at catcher over the past two series, it also appears he is reducing Diaz’s playing time behind the plate, as Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle.

Diaz started 37 of 58 games at catcher to start the season, about two-thirds of the workload. Caratini got a start in each of the Astros’ first 14 series – a pattern the team has grown from slightly sidelined since, with Caratini starting two of three games against Milwaukee, two of four in Seattle and none in a three-game series in Oakland,” he wrote.

It should also be noted that the young receiver did not have to face the same workload that is currently imposed on him.

He caught 399 innings last year. He entered Saturday with 344 innings caught.

Perhaps the fact that he was used behind the plate affected his offensive performance, as he was largely used as a designated hitter when Maldonado was in the lineup.

Espada’s comments are also interesting considering that Diaz has never really been considered a great defensive player, currently ranking poorly in pitch framing, average in pop time and an above-average rating in blocking, according to Baseball Savant.

“Caratini, he’s just preparing. Diaz is preparing too. But Caratini’s experiences and the way he studies and maybe finds different ways to get through the lineups, it’s a good mix between both catchers,” the skipper told Kawahara.

There was always concern that moving away from Maldonado would have a negative impact on the pitching staff, which appears to have proven true early in the year.

Maybe Espada notices and starts putting his more experienced pitcher behind the plate.

This is definitely something to watch, especially if Diaz is unable to improve his offensive performance.