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3 Astros Players Who Are Definitely Going to Regress After Sign-Stealing Scandal

By Steven Kubitza

Houston Astros 2B Jose Altuve is at the center of the scandal.
Houston Astros 2B Jose Altuve is at the center of the scandal. / Michael Reaves/Getty Images

The Houston Astros continue to be at the center of Major League Baseball due to their sign-stealing scandal. And while the team claims the scandal only took place in 2017, not everyone buys that. It goes without saying, but several players on the team had their careers enhanced thanks to knowing what pitch was coming. Looking ahead, three players in particular appear to be headed for a major year of regression now that they won't have extra help in 2020.

3. George Springer

Houston Astros OF George Springer has been great since 2017.
Houston Astros OF George Springer has been great since 2017. / Rich Schultz/Getty Images

George Springer has been an All-Star every season since 2017. He is now struggling in Spring Training with an OPS of .418. The outfielder is in a contract year as well and may be feeling the pressure to land a huge deal next offseason. Not knowing what pitches are coming is going to be a huge change and his strikeout total will be closer to the 178 mark it was in 2016 before the number dropped once the scandal began.

2. Alex Bregman

Houston Astros 3B Alex Bregman was a beneficiary of the sign-stealing.
Houston Astros 3B Alex Bregman was a beneficiary of the sign-stealing. / Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Alex Bregman became a full-time player in 2017. Since then he has a WAR of 19.0 and has finished in the top-five of American League MVP voting twice. Bregman has been unbelievably great at the plate as well. He had 51 doubles and 31 home runs in 2018, followed by 37 doubles and 41 home runs in 2019. Those numbers are not sustainable now that the trash-can banging is over.

1. Jose Altuve

Houston Astros 2B Jose Altuve is the face of the scandal.
Houston Astros 2B Jose Altuve is the face of the scandal. / Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Jose Altuve went from underdog to pariah with the revelation of the scandal. He was already a four-time All-Star before 2017. Then came that year when he won the MVP Award thanks to a slash line of .346/.410/.547 and an 8.1 WAR. That award is now tainted, as is the latter half of Altuve's career. He had a career-high 31 home runs last season, but his numbers will come back down after years of alleged cheating.