Houston is now 22-23 on the year
Astros drop finale to A's and once again have a losing record
Sep 10, 2020, 4:59 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Astros Hat and Glove
With Oakland securing the series by winning three of the first four games of this five-game set, the Astros took the field Thursday afternoon in an attempt to salvage a game to grab a game back in the division standings. Here is a quick recap of the finale with the A's:
Final Score: A's 3, Astros 1.
Record: 22-23, second in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Sean Manaea (4-2, 4.46 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Jose Urquidy (0-1, 3.72 ERA).
One pitch changes Urquidy's day
The early innings of Thursday's game flew by, with the Astros swinging early and often against Sean Manaea, while Jose Urquidy was blanking the A's on the other side. After three perfect frames, Urquidy did not allow a baserunner until the fourth, but he would work around two walks that inning to keep Oakland off the board.
He allowed his first hit to lead off the bottom of the fifth, a double that he worked around by retiring the next three batters to send the scoreless game to the sixth. He returned for the sixth to try and get through another inning, getting two quick outs before a two-out walk. That would prove costly as Matt Olson would launch a two-run go-ahead home run in the next at-bat to give Oakland a 2-1 lead. He would get the final out of that inning, bringing an end to his day. His final line: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 88 P.
Manaea limits Houston's bats
Meanwhile, Sean Manaea was handling the Astros relatively easily. After retiring the first fifteen Astros in order, Josh Reddick would finally give Houston their first baserunner in the top of the sixth with a leadoff double. He moved to third on a single, then scored on a double play, but that one run would be all the Astros could get against him as he would finish seven innings on just 61 pitches, allowing just the one run.
After Urquidy, Andre Scrubb came in to try and keep it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the seventh, but again a walk would cost Houston. Scrubb walked the leadoff batter, who stole second, then scored on an RBI-single to make it 3-1 Oakland. Scrubb would issue a two-out walk, prompting another move to the bullpen, this time for Brad Peacock. Peacock would walk his first batter, loading the bases, but would get the third out of the inning.
Astros drop below .500 again
Brandon Bielak would make an appearance in relief for the bottom of the eighth. He was able to work around a one-out single and two-out double to keep it a two-run game heading to the ninth. The 3-1 score would go final as Oakland's bullpen would keep the Astros off the board. The loss put an end to the five-game series where the Astros went 1-4 against the division-leading A's and pushed Houston back below .500 at 22-23. They have won just one time in their last nine games.
Up Next: The Astros will have one of their last two scheduled days off on Friday before starting a two-game series with the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Saturday. The first game will get underway at 7:07 PM Central on Saturday and features Framber Valdez (3-3, 3.61 ERA) pitching for the Astros against Tony Gonsolin (0-0, 0.76 ERA) for the Dodgers.
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Aug 1, 2025, 4:05 pm
Carlos Correa is returning to Houston, giving the Astros a needed jolt for their infield with a stunning trade from the Minnesota Twins ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline, according to a person with direct knowledge of the deal.
Correa spent his first seven years in Houston, where he became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, helping the team to six playoff appearances, three American League pennants and its first World Series title in 2017 — a championship tainted by a sign-stealing scandal. The top pick in the 2012 amateur draft and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year was part of the homegrown core that helped the Astros go from the league’s laughingstock to perennial contenders.
Correa, who waived his no-trade clause, has exclusively played shortstop in his 11-year major league career but will almost certainly move to third base for the AL West leaders with shortstop Jeremy Peña close to returning from the injured list. The Astros need help at third with All-Star Isaac Paredes out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.
Charismatic and an unquestioned leader in the clubhouse, Correa could help galvanize a team that has managed to remain atop the division standings despite dealing with multiple injuries to both its lineup and pitching staff.
Correa reunites with second baseman Jose Altuve, who is the Astros’ longest tenured player and one of his closest friends on the team. When asked about the possibility of Correa returning to Houston on Wednesday, Altuve raved about him before saying: “So I think — if anything (were) to happen, I hope it’s the best for him and for us.”
The 30-year-old Correa was named to two of his three All-Star Games while with the Astros and won a Gold Glove Award in 2021. He seemed to embrace the villain role when Houston became the league’s most hated team after it was revealed the Astros illegally stole signs in their run to the 2017 title and during the 2018 season.
He left when he became a free agent before the 2022 season when the Astros wouldn’t pay him what he believed he was worth, signing a three-year deal worth just over $105 million. Correa opted out of that contract after one year but re-signed with the Twins on a six-year, $200 million deal, of which just under $100 million is still owed. The contract also includes vesting options for the 2029-2032 seasons.
While Correa’s defense at shortstop has been impeccable and his leadership in the clubhouse strong, the investment for the Twins simply hasn’t panned out. He played the 2023 season through plantar fasciitis in his left foot, batting just .230 with 131 strikeouts in 135 games and a pedestrian .711 OPS.
He shined in the playoffs, helping the Twins end a record 18-game postseason losing streak and win a series for the first time in 21 years, and was enjoying an All-Star season in 2024 before plantar fasciitis popped up again – this time in his right foot. He had to withdraw from the All-Star Game and didn’t return until mid-September, after the Twins were already mired in a sharp swoon that pushed them out of playoff contention.
Correa has been much healthier this year, but not as productive. His .905 OPS in 2024 has fallen to .704 this year, with seven home runs in 93 games.
The contract he signed 2 1/2 years ago now constitutes a much larger percentage of the team’s payroll, after a sharp decline in regional television revenue in light of the bankruptcy of Diamond Sports Group prompted a spending reduction by Twins ownership. The Pohlad family has since put the club up for sale.
What this deal really means for Houston!
Don't miss the video below as we react to the Correa news and discuss how these additions impact Houston in the short and long term. Do these moves make the Astros favorites to win the World Series? We wouldn't rule it out!
Plus, we share our thoughts on what Ramon Urias and Jesus Sanchez will provide after being traded to Houston!
The MLB season is approaching the homestretch! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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