Pena went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run Saturday against the Twins.

EDGE Analysis

Pena hit from atop the order in each of Houston's first eight games, but he was dropped to sixth in the order Saturday. His performance was a mixed bag, as he struck out three times prior to going yard for a two-run shot in the ninth inning. Pena now has a pair of homers on the season, though he has just a .179/.256/.385 line across 43 plate appearances.

Pena is starting at shortstop and batting sixth Saturday against the Twins, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pena hit atop the order in the Astros' first eight games of the season, but he'll move down the lineup after going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts Friday, which dropped his average to .171. Chas McCormick will bat leadoff Saturday as manager Dusty Baker tries to replace Jose Altuve (thumb) atop the lineup.

Pena went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run, a double and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 8-2 victory over Detroit.

EDGE Analysis

Pena extended the Astros' lead to 8-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning with a two-run homer, his first of the season. The 2018 third-round pick hit 22 home runs across 555 plate appearances as a rookie last year, and he'll look to match, if not exceed, that mark in 2023.

Pena went 1-for-4 with a stolen base Thursday against the White Sox.

EDGE Analysis

Pena was expected to drop in the batting order after hitting primarily second in 2022. However, with Jose Altuve (hand) and Michael Brantley (shoulder) sidelined, Pena instead hit from atop the order. He didn't have a particularly notable performance, though he did lead off the game with a single before proceeding to steal second base. After delivering 11 stolen bases in his rookie season, Pena could see an uptick in production due to his lineup placement and the new rules that have been implemented to benefit baserunners.

Pena saw action in 11 Grapefruit League games and compiled a .324/.361/.706 slash line with three home runs and a stolen base.

EDGE Analysis

Fresh off a brilliant rookie season that he capped off with MVP honors in the ALCS and World Series, Pena already looks dialed in at the dish as he prepares to kick off his second big-league season Thursday versus the White Sox. Though manager Dusty Baker suggested earlier in spring training that Pena would slot further down in the lineup in 2023 than he did as a rookie, the 25-year-old shortstop now appears likely to open the upcoming campaign as Houston's leadoff or No. 2 hitter with Jose Altuve (thumb) Michael Brantley (shoulder) ticketed for the injured list.

Pena is likely to drop down in the Astros' everyday lineup, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Pena hit second for most of the 2022 season for the Astros, but Houston manager Dusty Baker has stated that a healthy Michael Brantley will hit second when in the lineup in 2023. While the Astros have strong depth, a drop in the lineup could result in fewer run-scoring opportunities for the second-year player, though it also could lead to more chances to drive in runs for the defending World Series champions. In his first year of MLB action, Pena slashed .253/.289/.426 with 22 homers, 11 steals and 63 RBI in 136 games.

Pena went 3-for-4 with a home run and an additional RBI during Thursday's 3-2 win over the Phillies in Game 5 of the World Series.

EDGE Analysis

Pena recorded his second three-hit game in the postseason, and it came at the perfect time for the Houston offense. The 25-year-old got the Astros on the board in the first inning with an RBI single, and he put the Astros ahead 2-1 in the fourth inning with a solo homer off Noah Syndergaard, knocking the Phillies' starter from the game. Pena has had an outstanding postseason in his rookie campaign -- he is 18-for-54 (.333) with four homers, eight RBI and 11 runs scored. The rookie is slated to face Zack Wheeler in Game 6 with the Astros just one win away from the World Series title. Pena was 1-for-3 with an RBI double against Wheeler in Game 2.

Pena went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and an additional run scored during Sunday's 6-5 win over the Yankees in Game 4 of the ALCS, earning the series MVP award.

EDGE Analysis

Pena continued his fantastic rookie season Sunday with a massive three-run homer off Nestor Cortes that evened the score at 3-3. Pena took advantage of back-to-back walks allowed by the usually reliable Cortes, sending a cutter 408 feet into the left field seats at Yankee Stadium. This marked the rookie's third home run and sixth extra-base hit of the postseason, as he continues to shine as the successor at shortstop to Carlos Correa. Pena's next at-bats will come against the Phillies, who he played in the final regular-season series, going 2-for-6 with a home run.

Pena went 3-for-4 with a solo home run during Game 1 of the ALCS in the 4-2 win over the Yankees.

EDGE Analysis

The remarkable rookie season for the Houston shortstop continued Wednesday as Pena tallied three more hits, including a solo shot off Frankie Montas in the seventh inning to give the Astros a three-run cushion. Pena is now 7-for-20 in the postseason, and he has homered in back-to-back games for the Astros. Coming into 2022 with big shoes to fill, the 25-year-old is proving that the Astros do not need Carlos Correa at shortstop to have success in the postseason.

Pena (knee) will bat second and play shortstop in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Mariners on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Pena missed the final game of the regular season after fouling the ball off his knee, but there was never a suggestion that he was dealing with a serious injury. The Astros' extra time off during the wild-card round allowed him the time to heal.