Good acquisition but at a huge price
After giving Clowney away for nothing, Texans pay steep price for left tackle Tunsil from Miami
Aug 31, 2019, 4:36 pm
Good acquisition but at a huge price
On a day the Texans gave Jadeveon Clowney away for almost nothing, they also got the left tackle they have been missing since they gave Duane Brown away for almost nothing.
The Texans have acquired young franchise tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Kenny Stills from the Miami Dolphins, per Ian Rappaport.
The Texans will pay a steep price in draft picks for Tunsil, but they get a top 10 left tackle in the league, and a player who should get better. It gives a great boost to a terrible offensive line.
There had been rumors of a Clowney for Tunsil swap, but Clowney refused to go to Miami. The Texans let themselves be bullied into sending him to Seattle for next to nothing.
But they made a deal for Tunsil anyway, instead reportedly shipping two first round picks and a second rounder. The price is ridiculous, but they get a great player at a position of need. Apparently, failed tackle Julien Davenport and special teams ace Johnson Bademosi are also headed to Miami.
They also dealt last year's third round pick, Martinas Rankin, to Kansas City for running back Carlos Hyde, who should mitigate the loss of Lamar Miller for the season. Still, Rankin becomes another third-round pick whiff.
Are the Texans better after these moves? Certainly on offense, but they have essentially mortgaged the future. Will it be worth it? Time will tell.
Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.
The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.
The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.
On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.
Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.
It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.
The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.
How the mighty have fallen.
Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.
Screenshot via: MLB.com
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