The Houston Astros are in the middle of a brutal losing streak. Dropping five games in a row is a tough outcome, regardless of the circumstances. But in this case, it’s even worse. These losses are coming at the end of the year, and they have knocked the Astros out of the postseason field.
Despite looking like one of the top contenders in the AL for a large chunk of the year, even when not fully healthy, the Astros have faltered late in the season and are now in danger of missing the playoffs entirely.
To make matters worse, even with a chance to make up some ground in the final four games, they might have to do so without a key player in Jeremy Pena. Chandler Rome of The Athletic shared the injury update for Pena, and it’s not a good one.
Astros get bad news on Jeremy Pena amid final stretch of the season
“Jeremy Pena said imaging revealed a left oblique strain,” Rome reports. “He has tried to swing, but still feels pain even when taking ‘mild swings.'”
Jeremy Peña said imaging revealed a left oblique strain. He has tried to swing, but still feels pain even when taking “mild swings.”
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) September 25, 2025
This update on Pena is not a good one. If he can’t swing at full strength, the Astros can’t play him. They’re already playing Isaac Paredes at half strength, though in his case, he can still swing; he just can’t run.
Pena, on the other hand, can’t swing without pain. As much as the Astros should try for the postseason, jeopardizing Pena’s health isn’t worthwhile. It’s especially important since the Astros have had a bad history with injuries this season, with so many of their stars missing time during the year.
With four games left, and sitting one game back of the Detroit Tigers for the third wild card spot, the Astros are facing an uphill battle to make the postseason. And now, they’ll likely have to do so without Pena.
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He could still return, once he feels better, but since he’s still in pain when he’s swinging, Houston should not rush him back. Losing a player as talented as Pena this late in the year is a tough blow, especially since the Astros are already in the middle of a collapse.
Fortunately, they aren’t the conductors of the biggest collapse this season, as the Tigers, who once held a 15.5-game division lead, are now a game back of the Cleveland Guardians.
If it weren’t for the largest collapse in baseball history, then the Astros’ struggles at the end of the year might be more prominently featured around baseball.
But, no matter how the rest of the year goes for Houston, it’s likely to be completed without Pena on the roster. It’s a brutal reminder of how injured the Astros have been this season, and it is further proof that something needs to change this winter.
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