Yainer Diaz's season has been a struggle despite some promising underlying metrics. After an impressive .846 OPS in his rookie year and a solid .766 OPS last season, Diaz has only managed a .647 OPS so far this season. His offensive woes come despite showing an increased ability to elevate the ball and a career-high line-drive rate of 28.2% as of Tuesday. Meanwhile, he is producing an average exit velocity of 91.3 mph. Manager Joe Espada emphasized the need for patience, noting that Diaz's hard-hit balls just haven't translated into results yet.

Diaz's expected statistics give a more favorable outlook than his actual performance. With an expected slugging percentage of .499 based on the quality of his contact, his current .381 slugging suggests he is underperforming significantly. His batting average, expected to be around .280 based on his hard-hitting ability, stands at a disappointing .234. As he continues to bat cleanup, the Astros hope he can turn things around, especially in light of Yordan Alvarez's injury.