Tuesday, September 30

Each year, the Houston chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America casts ballots to vote on the best of the Astros, both on the field and off. The people -- in this case, the writers who cover the team -- have spoken and chosen these award winners for 2025:

Astros MVP: Jeremy Peña

Peña, a former World Series Most Valuable Player and 2022 Gold Glove winner, can add his first team Most Valuable Player award to his résumé following his first All-Star season. He played in 125 games entering Saturday and was hitting .304/.363/.477 with an .840 OPS to go along with 17 home runs, 62 RBIs and a team-high 20 stolen bases. He was second in outs above average (eight) and fourth in defensive runs saved (five) among AL shortstops with at least 500 innings. Peña missed 27 games in July with a rib fracture and missed his fifth game in a row Friday with an oblique strain.

Astros Pitcher of the Year: Hunter Brown

Brown, who like Pena was a first-time All-Star, emerged as the ace of the Astros’ pitching staff in 2025. The right-hander set career highs in several pitching categories, going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 185 1/3 innings pitched including a 12-strikeout game June 14 against the Twins. He was second in the AL in ERA entering Friday, trailing Tarik Skubal (2.21) of the Tigers, and was third in strikeouts behind Garrett Crochet (255) and Skubal (241). The Astros went 18-13 games started by Brown, who had the third-lowest run support average in the AL.

Astros Rookie of the Year: Cam Smith

Smith, one of three players the Astros acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade in December, parlayed a strong performance in Spring Training and made the Opening Day roster as the team’s starting right fielder. Smith entered Saturday hitting .236 with nine homers and 51 RBIs and had at-bats in every spot in the batting order. He hit .305/.370/.451 in May and June this year, helping the Astros to a 29-18 record in that span. Among AL rookies, he entered Saturday ranked first in games played (133), was tied for first in triples (three), fourth in RBIs, fourth in doubles (20) and sixth in hits (103).

Darryl Kile Good Guy Award: Josh Hader

Hader wins the award given to the player who demonstrates traits as a good teammate, works well with the media and is charitable off the field. Hader, who injured his shoulder Aug. 11 and missed the remainder of the regular season, is the Astros’ 2025 nominee for The Roberto Clemente Award, considered baseball's most prestigious individual honor for Major Leaguers, which annually recognizes the MLB player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions both on and off the field. Hader helps at-risk youth through two different organizations in Houston.

Fred Hartman Long and Meritorious Service to Baseball Award: Alex Treviño

This season marked Treviño’s 30th as the team’s color analyst on the Astros Spanish radio network. He and partner Francisco Romero have been together since 2008, making them one of the longest-tenured broadcast teams in baseball. Treviño joined the Astros broadcast booth in 1996 and has called more than 3,000 games, 14 postseason appearances and five World Series. A native of Monterrey, Mexico, Treviño spent 13 seasons playing in the Majors, primarily as a catcher, including the 1988-90 seasons with the Astros. He also spent time with the Mets, Reds, Braves, Giants and Dodgers.

Paul Follis, the former Houston police commander who saved the life of Angels radio broadcaster Mark Langston on Sept. 20, 2019, by administering CPR to him in the press box at Daikin Park, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Langston prior to Friday’s game against the Angels. Langston suffered a heart attack in Houston in the visiting radio booth prior to an Astros game and Follis was in the nearby media dining room and jumped to action.

Follis began his career in law enforcement with the Orange County Sheriff Department as a deputy sheriff, before moving to Houston to join the force there. He retired in May 2021 after 29 years of service. A former United States Marine, Follis now spends time with his wife Rebecca, three children and one granddaughter. 

Sept. 28, 2014

Jose Altuve clinched the first of his three American League batting titles on the final day of the regular season, going 2-for-4 in an 8-3 loss to the Mets at Citi Field in New York. Altuve hit .341 and set a club record with 225 hits. The Astros had originally decided to keep Altuve out of the lineup for the season finale to help protect his slim lead over Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez, but interim manager Tom Lawless called Altuve back into the office just prior to the start of the game.

There had been a change of heart, and the team released a statement via Twitter about 30 minutes prior to the first pitch saying Altuve was playing. “We decided to make the change and play him, and whatever happened, happened,” Lawless said. “And it happened that with his two hits he became the batting champion. It was a moot point what happened before.”

After the game Astros teammates, coaches, and staff gave Altuve a champagne toast in the clubhouse. “I’m pretty excited, but what made me happier is all the support and the things my team has done for me,” Altuve said. “After the game they were happy for me, and all came to me and said ‘Congratulations,’ and that made my season way better.”

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