Astros Win Opening Day 2025: Four Thoughts..

Astros Win Opening Day 2025: Four Thoughts
Jeff Balke March 28, 2025 7:05AM

Image: Houston Astros line up for the Star-Spangled Banner during Opening Day at Daikin Park.
Houston Astros line up for the Star-Spangled Banner during Opening Day at Daikin Park. Photo by Jack Gorman
Baseball is back and the Astros picked up their first win of the season on Opening Day at Daikin Park on Thursday, 3-1 over the Mets. There were a TON of new faces in the Astros lineup including rookie Cam Smith, third baseman Isaac Paredes, first baseman Christian Walker, and second baseman Brendan Rodgers.

Ace Framber Valdez went seven shutout innings and got just enough run support to notch the win. Oh, and there was a train sighting! Let’s dig in.

Framber Valdez was a beast. Photo by Jack Gorman
Framber Valdez was magnificent.

Seven shutout innings on 90 pitches in Game 1 of the season is one way to announce you are the ace of your rotation. Valdez gave up four hits and two walks, while striking out four. As the game went on, he appeared to get better, lowering pitch counts and keeping hitters off balance. It was vintage Framber in Game 1 of the season before he hits the free agent market. More of this please.

Rookie Cam Smith with his first career hit. Photo by Jack Gorman
Welcome to the show, Cam Smith.

If Cam Smith was nervous at the plate, it didn’t show. On the first pitch he saw in the big leagues, he laced a single to right field. He pumped his fist in joy and all three rows of friends and family in the stands roared. It was an electric debut for a kid who only has 32 (now 33) professional baseball games under his belt. He ultimately went 1-3 before being subbed for defensive purposes in the eighth. Smith looks like a natural and when he does finally figure out right field, he could be a star.

There were some nervous moments, but Jose Altuve looked fine in left field. Photo by Jack Gorman
Jose Altuve debuts in the outfield.

Skeptics abound, but Altuve is fully committed to his switch from second base to left field. On Wednesday, he seemed comfortable in the field and, as usual, at the plate. There was one scary moment in the first when he cut in front of Jake Meyers to catch a fly ball that ended the inning, but their communication will improve, and he seemed at ease even if it looked weird to see him standing in front of the Crawford Boxes.

Josh Hader managed the save but not without a scare. Photo by Jack Gorman
The best bullpen arms were…shaky.

Bryan Abreu and Josh Hader are supposed to be the anchors of what could be a work in progress in the bullpen, but against the Mets, they were not at their best. Hader did get the save and Abreu got out of the eighth inning without allowing a run, but the pair combined to throw 60 pitches over two innings of work giving up two hits, three walks and the Mets only run. Hader struck out Juan Soto to end the game, but there were some very nervous Astros fans in those final two innings.

The train is back and brand new! Photo by Jack Gorman
Bonus: The train returns…filled with baseballs.

Bobby Dynamite is back conducting the famous Astros ballpark train atop the wall in the outfield. Once filled with oranges, it now sports 25 baseballs representing the 25 years the team has played at the newly re-named Daikin Park. The balls are decorated with every logo the team has used over the years. Clever.
» View our slideshow: Baseball is Back as the Astros Win on Opening Day 2025