Houston — Hector Neris requested the Houston Astros for assistance during his fourth month as a member of a new team. Having played for the Philadelphia Phillies for eight years prior, he started a spring training custom of having dinner with every minor league talent from Latin America. It felt right to carry on with his present team.
If the team was unable to organize transportation, Neris pleaded for help and even offered to drive a van back and forth. The team did, and about sixty prospects dined at a Colombian restaurant on Neris’ money and received guidance from an experienced reliever. The performance confirmed what many people in the game already knew: Neris is not only a top reliever but also a cornerstone of the clubhouse.
Neris’s reputation was further cemented during his two consecutive seasons in Houston. On a pitching staff comprised of young Latino players navigating their first few professional seasons, his presence was vital. The combination of Neris and seasoned catcher Martín Maldonado created a strong base that affected more than just the pitchers.
With Maldonado playing for the White Sox on the South Side and Neris in the Cubs bullpen on the North, that battery will bring its brilliance to Chicago. Though nothing significant ever materialized, the Astros were somewhat interested in getting back together with both guys. Although the addition of Josh Hader and Víctor Caratini marked improvements in their vacant roles, the departures raise questions about the makeup of Houston’s clubhouse leadership group.
Last season, a number of individuals in and around the Astros’ clubhouse identified Michael Brantley, Neris, and Maldonado as the team’s most influential leaders. None of them will play again next season due to Brantley’s retirement earlier this month, which will present a challenge for new manager Joe Espada and a chance for younger players to take over the positions those veterans had.
3B Alex Bregman remarked, “It falls on all of us who have been here for a while.” “This year, we need to fill that gap and establish a standard that has been established here to maintain the focus we have every day and hold each other accountable.”
Only Bregman, Jose Altuve, Lance McCullers Jr., and Justin Verlander have played for a big league team in each of Houston’s seven ALCS appearances in a row.
Of those seven seasons, Maldonado made an appearance in six of them, and Brantley arrived in time for five of them. Maldonado’s relationship and the unwavering faith he inspired in Houston’s pitching staff over the previous two seasons have been the main factors in his success.
By the conclusion of his career, Maldonado had become the team spokesperson; at trying times, reporters could frequently find him and Bregman as the only experienced voices. Amidst a disjointed 2023 regular season, Maldonado oversaw many team meetings for Houston. Astros legend still regards Brantley’s remarks between games three and four of the 2022 World Series as practically legendary.
Player Kyle Tucker stated, “I don’t know if you can just replace guys like that.” They are rather proud of the work they perform and the contributions they make to the profession each and every day. I have no doubt that (Maldonado) will perform admirably there, assisting their squad in improving. There are still plenty of the fantastic men from last year who are returning. We have a really solid collection of folks all around. Many of our starters are coming back. Although our appearance will change slightly, I think it will still be rather nice.
Tucker has direct experience with the transfer of power. Since Tucker made his major-league debut in 2018, other key players who have left include Carlos Correa, Brian McCann, George Springer, and Yuli Gurriel. All provided leadership in different capacities (Correa’s becoming more apparent than others), but as they departed, others rose to the position to take their place.
Maldonado, Brantley, and Neris were three of the most important individuals to do it. Although their exits do not in any way indicate that Houston lacks leadership, this may be the largest group of notable members of the clubhouse to go at once from the Astros since their ascent to the top of the American League in 2017.
Other pillars will step up, according to Espada. It’s how they’ve done it, you know. They understand that someone will have to step up when one of those guys leaves, and it will happen naturally. There are men there that recognize how crucial it is for us to maintain our success.
Espada is taking over a player-driven culture that binds the clubhouse together even in the midst of turmoil or upheaval. “If you’re wearing this uniform, you’re one of us — whether you’ve been here one day or been here 20 years,” McCullers said in 2022. We’re going to have fun, laugh, smile, and be prepared to play every day, and I believe that we should possess the idea that all people are equal.
It makes sense for those who are currently involved to continue it. Both Altuve and Bregman are leaders and always will be, but they both want to lead by example. Although Verlander and McCullers speak up more—Verlander addressed his teammates following the Yankees’ season-long sweep of them—it is beneficial to include other viewpoints and personalities in the mix.
It’s unclear how that will materialize. Being a leader is difficult to describe. It shouldn’t be limited to the four team members with the longest tenure, nor is there a single accepted method to demonstrate it. It is hard for outsiders to determine how much power each individual bears because so much takes place behind closed clubhouse doors.
However, McCullers said last month that “your catcher has to be a leader.” Maldonado embodied all of those qualities, therefore Yainer Diaz, 25, has to follow in his footsteps.
Diaz has only played in 110 big league games. He’s attempted to change his shyness and soft-spoken demeanor, which he frequently exhibits, this winter.
Diaz added, “That’s something that I’ve been working on,” via a translator. “I think of myself as a reserved person, but I’ve tried to work on it and maybe become better at it this year — be a little louder this year — and then get even better at it the next year. That’s something I’m still working on.
Diaz’s pairing with seven-year veteran Caratini ought to facilitate that adjustment. Tucker, the next superstar who may appear uninterested or unconcerned on the field but has started to flourish off of it, has been mentored by Brantley for the most of the previous two seasons.
Kyle is one of our clubhouse leaders. Although Kyle appears to be a very reserved person from the outside, McCullers stated, “I think he’s going to take a step forward and continue to be that great leader he is.” “We’ll continue to operate out of the clubhouse in the same manner as always, looking to our guys as we always have, Bregman and Justin.”
Tucker went on, “We have a really good group of guys overall.” Many of our starters are coming back. Although our appearance may be little altered, I believe it will still be sturdy and good. Since we’ve been playing together for a long, there will be chemistry.
