The Astros’ Secret Weapon? A Catcher Who Hit .172.

Thanks to Martín Maldonado’s guidance of a pitching staff in flux, his status as one of the game’s worst hitters is irrelevant.

HOUSTON — One of the most important people on the Houston Astros was one of the worst at his position in baseball.

Among players with at least 400 plate appearances during the regular season, Martín Maldonado ranked dead last among catchers with a .172 batting average — and second last among all batters. His team led the majors in scoring despite playing one batter short on offense: He was 1 for 15 (.067) in a division series against the Chicago White Sox and then was 1 for 14 (.071) during the American League Championship Series. Regardless, the Astros beat the Boston Red Sox to advance to their third World Series in five years.

Toss all that aside and Astros closer Ryan Pressly can explain why Maldonado — for reasons entirely unrelated to hitting — is so integral to a team whose pitching staff delivered admirably despite lacking the star power of the past.