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Astros have 2 key X-factors, and neither is Yordan Alvarez
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- Astros have 2 key X-factors, and neither is Yordan Alvarez
Major League Baseball spent the first two months of 2026 wondering whether the Houston Astros were finally finished. That conversation looks ridiculous now.
Houston has surged back into contention, and Yordan Alvarez is doing exactly what everyone expects Yordan Alvarez to do. But if the Astros turn this recovery into another October run, two much less obvious players could decide how far they go: Taylor Trammell and Hayden Wesneski .
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X-factor one:
Aug 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Taylor Trammell (26) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
Trammell has become one of the biggest surprises. The former top prospect has suddenly started producing like the player scouts once imagined. His recent power surge has given Houston another legitimate threat in a lineup that desperately needed somebody beyond its established stars to emerge.
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The moment that really cemented his rise came August 4, when Trammell smoked a three-run homer against Toronto . MLB highlighted the blast while noting that Houston had won 12 of its previous 14 games.
That's more than a hot hitter. That's a lineup-changing development.
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X-factor 2:
Aug 4, 2026; Houston, Texas , USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski (39) delivers a pitch during the fourth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Then there's Wesneski, who has returned from Tommy John surgery and effectively given Houston a rotation addition without requiring another trade. If he can provide dependable innings through September, the Astros suddenly have considerably more pitching depth than they did earlier this summer.
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That's what makes these two so fascinating.
Houston already knows Alvarez can carry an offense. Superstars are supposed to produce. Championship runs usually turn on the players nobody expected.
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Trammell doesn't need to maintain superstar numbers. Wesneski doesn't need to become an ace. They simply need to become legitimate contributors around Houston's established core. And that's exactly what appears to be happening.
The Astros' season no longer depends on whether Alvarez can save them. It may depend on whether Trammell and Wesneski can keep giving him help nobody saw coming.
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