True story. Using WAR from BR, if you add up WARS for Witt Jr. and Torkelson, multiply it by 10 and you get Pena's WAR in about the same amount of playing time for each player. I like this Pena kid!
Currently 5th in bWar (fractions of a point from 3rd) at 2.1 A little further down at 11th in fWAR at 1.4 Currently leads the league in defensive runs saved according to fangraphs and bref, and is 2nd according to fielding bible. I don't know if he will continue to be this elite, but when the numbers run out this high so early it is extremely rarely a fluke. He is an extremely good defensive player at the most important defensive position. 2.1 WAR is very close to what I would have called a solid rookie campaign, and we're not even at the quarter poll.
He should start looking to pick his spots and steal some bases, doesn’t need to get reckless but maybe around 20 attempts this season.
He has rapidly adjusted to down and away sliders. In the Twins series, for the most part, he either laid off of them or stayed on them and drove them for hits. Usually in big spots. 2.3 bWAR which is 3rd in all MLB/1.7 fWAR which is 6th in all MLB, and we are over 30 games in. I'm pretty sure so far this is beyond anyone even in the Astros FO wildest dreams. 2.3 bWAR across 130 or so MLB starts for his rookie year - I would have been basically fine with that. LOL.
I expected the Defense. But I thought it would take him longer to go off offensively. There are still a couple of adjustments to and by him that lay ahead. But it sure beats struggling.
Such a game changer for Houston’s long term outlook. At this point barring a pretty dramatic downturn he will establish himself as a 4-5 win player, literally as good as Correa was (because he stays healthy and has more baserunning value). I am really anxious to get Meyers back and see what he really is. I have always assumed the best we could hope for was a 7-8 year run as true contenders but man it is looking like this could keep going even past the Altuve/Bregman years.
Meyers could be huge. He's a couple years older than Pena, but it's almost eerie how we heard the same things from the Astros preceding Meyers' debut as we did Pena's. How the ball is coming off the bat different, he worked to change his body, how nobody outworks him, etc. And Meyers is a plus plus defensive CF with potentially serious power. I mean he slashed .343/.408/.598 in 300 AAA plate appearances last year. Then .260/.323/.438 in his first 160 MLB plate appearances as a 25 year old is not bad at all. Especially with his defense at a premium position. It's an upgrade over Chas and Siri with potentially better defense than both as well. No clue what a torn rotator cuff does to someone's swing. Anyone have an idea how hitters generally recover from this injury?
I feel like the astros have the best shot in years to win the World Series. Peña along with Justin Verlander and Jake and the astros pen and the experience hitters, it seems like a special season.
