THE PALLILOG
How latest landscape changes shine new light on Astros trajectory
Jun 15, 2023, 4:29 pm
THE PALLILOG
In Major League Baseball terms the week starts with Monday not Sunday. Some series wraparound through Monday, but no series starts on a Sunday. So that established, it’s been a sigh of relief week so far for the Astros. Off a lousy road trip (two wins, five losses) made much worse by the loss of Yordan Alvarez, the Astros have taken advantage of the lowly Washington Nationals by winning the first two games of this nine game home stand while the Texas Rangers have dropped two out of three. The Rangers’ losses are a two-sided coin since they’ve come against the Angels. The Astros have whittled their season-worst five game deficit in the American League East to three and a half games, but they are only two games ahead of the Angels in the AL Wild Card race.
Another tough break for McCullers
It certainly shouldn’t surprise anyone that Lance McCullers’s latest major arm surgery means he won’t throw a pitch this season, or throw one well into 2024. The odds don’t favor McCullers ever again being a sustainable pitcher. He collects 17 million dollars each of the next three seasons. Maybe when the Astros and Rangers open their four game series June 30 McCullers and the Rangers’ Jacob deGrom can each throw out a ceremonial first pitch. Left-handed. To their agents. deGrom recently underwent his second Tommy John surgery. Which ended his year after six starts the first season of the absurd five year 185 million dollar free agent contract the Rangers held their breath, crossed their fingers, and pipe-dreamed in giving him.
With McCullers’s fate sad but not shocking, the harsher reality dealt the Astros is the loss of Alvarez for at least a month, probably until after the All-Star break. For a guy who doesn’t turn 26 years old until June 27th, the Cuban missile launcher sure has a troubling injury resume. Fortunately, Yordan’s knees have held up fine since he missed all but two games of the short 2020 COVID season because of knee problems that required arthroscopic surgery.
Last year and early this year there have been sore hand issues. Now, the oblique. Attendance is part of the grade and durability is one component of greatness. It would be horrible if those elements undercut Alvarez fulfilling his potential, which is Hall of Fame slugger. Last season Alvarez played in 135 games, meaning he missed exactly one-sixth (27) of the games. If not back before the All-Star game, Alvarez will have already missed 34 games. At the time he went down Yordan was not a top three AL Most Valuable Player candidate this season, but he certainly was within striking distance of at least matching his third place finish in 2022. He now has no virtually no chance at that, which is a downer, albeit of much lesser importance than what his absence means for the Astros’ lineup.
Signs of life
Here’s to Jose Abreu showing a pulse the past week. One good week doesn’t undo more than two brutally inept months, but he had to start somewhere. 11 for 27 (.407) with three homers over six games is somewhere. Abreu’s season remains a disaster overall to this point, but the Astros did not make a mistake moving on from Yuli Gurriel. Yuli was awful last season. His strong postseason didn’t make his lousy regular season inconsequential toward plans going forward any more than Jeremy Pena’s superstar postseason established him as a superstar going forward.
That the Astros could have kept Yuli for maybe three million dollars sounds good relative to the 19 and a half million given to Abreu for not only 2023 but each of the next two years, but the Astros signed a guy who was the significantly better player last year and certainly projected to be better this year. Alas, projections sometimes don’t come anywhere close to hitting their targets. The money is one thing, the personnel decision was not wrong. The now 39-year-old Gurriel’s numbers with the Marlins are not good.
Up next
After finishing with the Nationals Thursday night, the Astros get the Reds at Minute Maid Park for the weekend. The Reds finished 62-100 last season, but could win the lackluster National League Central this year. With a 34-35 record they are within a couple games of the first place Pirates. The Pirates? Yes the Pirates, who like the Reds lost 100 games last season. Setting aside their 31-29 mark in the short 2020 season, the Reds have had seven losing seasons in their last eight. However they now have some dynamic young talent, with two especially notables worth catching this weekend. 21-year-old shortstop/third baseman Elly De La Cruz debuted last week and has already demonstrated a breathtaking breadth of skills.
He’ll have his struggles along the way, De La Cruz has struck out 15 times in 34 at bats. But at six feet five inches tall he is an eye-popping combo of power, speed, and agility. Think of it this way: the Astros would trade Jeremy Pena for him in a heartbeat. The Astros would trade any player in their organization for De La Cruz, with the probable exception of Yordan. The Reds’ starting pitcher Saturday is 23 year old Hunter Greene. The second overall pick in the 2017 draft is still developing his craft, but throws more pitches 100 miles per hour plus than any other pitcher in MLB. Over his last three starts Greene has 28 strikeouts against seven walks.
After the Reds it’s the New York Mess in for three. Slated to start Tuesday for the Mets, some guy wearing a Justin Verlander uniform. After an injury-delayed start to his season, Verlander sits 2-3 with a 4.40 earned run average in eight starts.
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CultureMap is making our final preparations for The Tailgate, our all-out party devoted to everyone’s favorite way to get in the gameday spirit. It’s coming to you Monday, November 11 at 8th Wonder in EaDo.
Attendees who treat themselves to VIP tickets get a number of perks, including early admission and a dedicated bar. And we’re upping the game with a special meet-and-greet with two of the Houston Texans' most popular alumni — defensive stars Brian Cushing and Travis Johnson, courtesy of presenting sponsor Verizon.
Photos by Getty Images.
Selected in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Cushing won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. In a nine-year career with the team, he compiled 424 solo tackles, which ranks third all-time for the Texans. Fans appreciated his full-throttle playing style and team-first mentality.
Johnson, also a first-round pick, played four seasons for the Texans. His outspoken personality has made him one of the team’s most popular alumni. He lives in Missouri City with his five children. He told Texans broadcaster Drew Dougherty that he takes his role as a team ambassador seriously.
“It meant to me being an ambassador of the brand as far as let the young guys know what the standard is. Let the young guys know what it means to be a Houston Texan. Around here, it was always about family. It was always about how you go to work, how you go about your work,” Johnson said during an episode of the Texans “Where Are They Now” podcast.
Attendees of The Tailgate will enjoy a range of experiences showcasing local sports and local food. More than a dozen restaurants will be serving game day-inspired bites, including Big City Wings, The Waffle Bus, Josephine’s Gulf Coast Tradition, Pizaro’s Pizza, Uchi, and Uchiko.
Don't forget to vote for your favorite wings in our bracket-style Ultimate Wing Showdown; the winner will be announced at the event.
The event will also shine a spotlight on local sports organizations, including the Texans, which will raffle off a CJ Stroud-signed White Panel Football. The Astros will show off their Shooting Stars dancers as well as the 2017 and 2022 World Series Trophies, and their Shuttle Crew team will bring prizes. Houston soccer stars the Dynamo and Dash will raffle team-signed jerseys.
Guests can expect more fun, games, and prizes courtesy of our event sponsors and local vendors, including Verizon, HOWDY, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Houston Powder Coaters, Holey Moley Golf Club, Mizzen + Main, Shipley Do-nuts, and more.
Tickets are $75 for VIP and $50 for General Admission. For a limited time, we’re giving you $10 off; use code SPORTSMAP at checkout. Get your tickets now.
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The Tailgate is presented by Verizon and sponsored by HOWDY, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Houston Powder Coaters, Holey Moley Golf Club, Mizzen + Main, Shipley Do-nuts, East River 9, and more to be announced.