Jeremy

Pena

Peña extended Houston’s lead to 5-3 with a homer in the seventh inning off Trevor Richards. The 26-year-old shortstop has homered seven times in 2024, and a three-reach game helps improve his slash to .280/.327/.400 over 325 at-bats.

Peña seems to have things turned around now after a month-long slump; he’s 9-for-29 with five extra-base hits, eight RBI and a 2/4 K/BB in his last eight games.

The 26-year-old shortstop has been a mainstay in the Astros’ lineup this season, so it’s rare to see him getting a night off. Mauricio Dubon will start in his place and will bat seventh for the Astros against Orioles’ right-hander Grayson Rodriguez on Friday evening.

Peña doubled off of Andre Pallante in the third inning to drive in Alex Bregman and give the Astros a 3-1 lead. He later hit a sacrifice fly to again drive in Bregman while pushing the Astros’ lead to 7-2. Peña is now hitting .302 on the season with five homers, 23 RBI, and nine stolen bases. His 71 hits are tied for ninth-most in the majors, as he continues to be a staple in a potent Astros lineup.

It’s nothing more than a routine night off for the 26-year-old shortstop. Mauricio Dubon will start in his place and will bat seventh for the Astros against Pablo Lopez and the Twins on Friday evening in Houston.

That’s as many strikeouts as he totaled in his previous eight games. Peña is having a great season, but this was not his night. We’d still say it’s past time for the Astros to start batting him ahead of Alex Bregman in the order.

Peña came up huge for the Astros with a three-run homer off Freddy Peralta that gave the Astros their 5-4 lead in the fifth inning. The shortstop has enjoyed a strong first six-plus weeks of the season, as he’s gone deep five times while slashing .326/.364/.469. This is the version of Peña fantasy managers were hoping to see in 2023. So far, so good in 2024.

Peña led off the fourth inning with a base hit and scored on a sacrifice fly by Mauricio Dubón. He later started the sixth inning with a single, but was stranded on the bases. The multi-hit day brings Peña slash line to an impressive .333/.375/.455 with four homers, 26 runs scored, 16 RBI, and six steals across 176 plate appearances.

Peña had a productive day at the plate against New York, collecting three hits on the day. He knocked a pair of base hits in the fourth and sixth innings, then took Victor González deep for a solo homer in the eighth. The 26-year-old shortstop is slashing .326/.367/.464 with four homers, 21 runs scored, 14 RBI, and five steals across 147 plate appearances.

It’s the first time all season that the slumping third baseman has hit lower than fourth in the Astros’ lineup. That’s what happens when you hit .195/.275/.260 with just one homer and 11 RBI through your first 138 plate appearances. Jeremy Pena will move up into the cleanup spot in the order with Jon Singleton batting fifth for the Astros on Wednesday evening.