(SportsRadio 610) -- Despite losing the season series against the lowly Detroit Tigers, the Houston Astros still carry the American League's best record into this week's home series against the Baltimore Orioles.
Houston (48-30) trails only the San Francisco Giants (50-27) in Major League Baseball and own a two-game lead over the Oakland Athletics in the American League West.
The Astros also have seven finalists for the 2021 MLB All-Star ballot, which is more than any other team: 2B Jose Altuve, 1B Yuli Gurriel, DH Yordan Alvarez, SS Carlos Correa, 3B Alex Bregman, C Martín Maldonado and OF Michael Brantley.
None of those players' performances, maybe with the exception of just how incredible Gurriel's been, really come as surprises.
MLB.com recently dubbed Luis Garcia (6-4, 2.83 ERA) as the Astros' biggest surprise this season.
"The Astros knew he had great stuff, but who in the world could have counted on him to be a rotation mainstay?" wrote MLB columnist Will Leitch.
Garcia's rise is certainly impressive, when you consider he went from having never played above Single A to starting game five of the American League Championship Series in 2020.
Manager Dusty Baker pointed out how Garcia's "basically come out of nowhere."
After being joining the Astros' full-time rotation this season, Garcia has continued to show signs of being a star. His teammates are noticing, too.
"He's been very impressive all year. I think he deserves a spot in the All-Star Game," shortstop Carlos Correa told reporters after Thursday's win in Detroit, led by Garcia . "He's been lights out. He's been a guy that's gone out there and given us six, seven innings almost every start and he's a special talent that's going to help this team for a long time."
So, is Garcia the most surprising Astro this season? Is it Gurriel's bounce back year? Or Myles Straw adequately replacing George Springer in center field? Maybe Chas McCormick as a plug-and-play guy?
Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (44) center fielder Myles Straw (3) and right fielder Chas McCormick (20) celebrate defeating the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park.Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Payne and Pendergast on Monday morning looked at the most surprising Astros this season and why they're so important.
