Rock bottom looms for Astros following their second shutout loss

After missing the postseason for the first time since the 2016 season last year, Houston Astros fans were hoping for a much better season this year. However, that just has not been the case. 

The starting rotation is in shambles with Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Tatsuya Imai on the IL. And to make matters worse, Lance McCullers Jr. exited his most recent start with a broken fingernail. 

The injuries aren't just limited to the pitching staff, either. Carlos Correa suffered a season-ending ankle tendon tear recently, while Jeremy Pena has been limited to just 10 games this year due to a broken finger. 

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Rock bottom looms for Astros following their second shutout loss

Adding to their misery, the Astros faced off against the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds last week. They ended up losing both series, only able to muster up one win in each three-game series.

They were blanked by the Reds on Sunday, making it their second shutout loss. With this, Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter has bumped them down to No. 28 in his latest power rankings. 

"The Astros were shut out on Sunday, marking the sixth time in the last seven games where they have been limited to three or fewer runs. They also sit at the bottom of the ERA leaderboard with a 5.57 mark that is more than half a run higher than the next worst team."

Things don't get much easier for the club this week. They face off against the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series before taking on the Texas Rangers, who are coming off a big weekend series where they beat the Chicago Cubs. 

Houston could certainly continue to slide down the power rankings if they continue to struggle this week, or it could see a dramatic rise if the team is able to get back on track.

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