Despite red flags, here's how Astros still control their own destiny
IS TIME RUNNING OUT?
18 August
The Tigers host the Astros for a three-game set starting Monday night. Composite Getty Image.
The Orioles series didn’t just sting; it left behind some red flags the Astros can’t ignore. For all the excitement that came with Carlos Correa’s arrival, Houston has stumbled to a 7-8 record since the trade deadline. Correa has delivered at the plate, but the support around him has been spotty at best. Jesús Sánchez and Cam Smith have both gone cold in August, hitting .188 and .205, respectively, and those struggles have only magnified the bigger issue: the Astros are sputtering both on the mound and at the plate.
The numbers paint the picture. Houston sits in the bottom third across the league this month in both pitching and offense — 25th in runs scored, 20th in OPS, and 23rd in ERA with a 4.93 mark. Once the backbone of this team, the rotation has wobbled. Framber Valdez has posted a 5.89 ERA over three August starts, Spencer Arrighetti has been roughed up for a 7.27 ERA in two outings, and Brian King and Bennett Sousa have been hit hard out of the bullpen as well.
This stretch of games was supposed to be where the Astros put their foot down in the division race. Instead, they’ve left the door wide open. If Houston doesn’t take advantage, Seattle is more than capable of snatching away the AL West. The Astros should still be able to cling to a wild-card spot, but the margin for error is shrinking by the day.
A silver lining?
Help, at least on paper, is on the way. Dana Brown has said Lance McCullers Jr. is close to rejoining the rotation, with Luis Garcia set for one more rehab start before a return. J.P. France isn’t far behind either. That would give Houston eight legitimate starters, even if they shift to a six-man rotation. It’s hard to imagine all of them sticking in starting roles — which means some will inevitably move into the bullpen.
That bullpen, though, has been a problem. Since July 7, Houston’s relievers have watched their ERA balloon from 3.21 to 4.99. Losing Josh Hader for the rest of the regular season only makes that situation more urgent.
The Astros still control their own fate in the AL West, but the cracks are obvious. Between an offense that has gone quiet, a rotation fighting inconsistency, and a bullpen trending in the wrong direction, the club is walking a fine line. If things don’t change soon, this season could shift from promising to precarious in a hurry.
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José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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