CJ Stroud takes batting practice ahead of Astros Opening Day
Opening Day in Houston means the beloved Astros are back on the diamond, looking to win another AL West championship. A huge crowd is expected at Minute Maid Park, including Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud. He even showed up a few hours early and got a few swings in.
Before Astros players got traditional batting practice in, Stroud stepped up to the plate. He appears to have softballs heading his way and Stroud got a couple deep into the park. Not a bad showing for the former Ohio State man.
Stroud will now sit back and enjoy the Astros kick-off their 2024 campaign. The New York Yankees are in town, a matchup that has produced a few fireworks throughout the years. A nice way to get the MLB season underway in H-Town.
You can check out the full video of Stroud here.
Stroud has expressed his love for baseball in the past. Sure, being the starting quarterback of the Texans is pretty sweet, especially after winning the AFC South and getting the franchise’s first playoff win since 2019.
But Stroud claims every professional athlete wants to play baseball. Likely because of the obscene contracts some of these players are currently getting.
“Football players want to be basketball players, basketball players want to be football players – and we all want to be baseball players,” Stroud said.
CJ Stroud doing just fine on the football field
Playing baseball might be where Stroud wants to be but he’s doing just fine on the football field. The former No. 2 overall pick broke out as a rookie and earned Offensive Rookie of the Year following a dazzling season.
Stroud played in 15 games in 2023, throwing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He led the NFL in touchdown to interception ratio, being the first rookie to ever do so. A quick validation for Houston that their top pick in the draft would pan out.
Now, the Texans are expected to compete in what has become a loaded AFC. Head coach DeMeco Ryans is highly respected as well, even before taking over in Houston. Ryans was the defensive coordinator in San Francisco and did a great job with the 49ers.
Everything is seemingly trending in the right direction for the Texans. And until the football season opener in September, Stroud and everybody else can enjoy the Astros compete on a nightly basis.