Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
A quick rundown of Thursday's Opening Day Astros game against the Rays:
Final Score: Astros 5, Rays 1
Record: 1-0, second in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Justin Verlander (1-0).
Losing pitcher: Blake Snell (0-1).
Star of the game: George Springer, after breaking his streak of consecutive season lead-off home runs to start the game, came through in his second at-bat with a huge three-run home run drilled to straight center field to get Houston on the board and give them their first lead. That makes three years in a row with a home run on Opening Day for Springer.
Notes: Verlander looked rattled early, giving up a solo home run to Austin Meadows to start his day then putting the first two batters on base in the second, but rebounded nicely to post a solid start with just one run on three hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts. After struggling the first time through the order against last year's Cy Young winner, the Astros were able to get at Snell and tag him with three home runs; the three-run homer by Springer then solo shots by newcomer Michael Brantley and Jose Altuve. Ryan Pressly and Roberto Osuna closed things out and looked sharp in their season debuts out of the bullpen.
Up next: The series will continue Friday night with game two of the four-game series at 6:10 PM. We'll get another strong pitching matchup with Gerrit Cole going up against former Astro Charlie Morton.
The Rockets added veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith on a four-year, $53 million deal shortly after free agency opened. ESPN first reported the deal, and a person with knowledge of the agreement confirmed the terms to AP.
Houston becomes Finney-Smith’s fourth team after stints with Dallas, Brooklyn and the Los Angeles Lakers. He’ll be added to a Rockets club that earlier this summer landed Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with Phoenix, though that deal cannot receive formal approval from the NBA until next week.
Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points and was a 41% shooter from 3-point range this past season.
ESPN also reported that the Rockets’ run on free agents continued with the addition of center Clint Capela, who spent the first six years of his career in Houston before playing for the last five seasons in Atlanta. Capela agreed to a three-year deal with the Rockets, ESPN said.