AWFUL UMPIRING

Here's why the umpire from Astros-Yankees was even worse than we thought

Here's why the umpire from Astros-Yankees was even worse than we thought
Correa was not happy with the home plate umpire. Photo by Elsa/Getty Images.

Tuesday's Astros-Yankees game was very difficult to watch as an Astros fan. Home plate umpire Jose Navas missed so many calls it was hard for us to keep count during the game. Luckily, the folks at Umpire Auditor kept track of Navas' horrendous performance on Tuesday night. Navas wasn't just calling balls as strikes against the Astros, like during one of Carlos Correa's at-bats when he called two pitches that were below the strike zone as strikes. But he also squeezed Bryan Abreu in the 6th inning which led to the Yankees blowing the game open and never looking back. Astros catcher Martin Maldonado was so disgusted he could be seen arguing with the umpire throughout the inning.

According to Umpire Auditor, Navas missed an alarming 21 calls throughout the game. Have a look at how far outside this pitch was that he rung up Kyle Tucker on. This certainly felt like a game in which everyone outside of Houston wanted to see the Astros "take their medicine" in their first appearance at Yankee Stadium after the sign-stealing scandal went public.

Hopefully, with this game in the books, the Astros can move on and worry about beating the Yankees, and not think about having to beat the umpires too.

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The Astros can breathe a sigh of relief.Photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images.

Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.

The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.

“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.

Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.

He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.

“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”

His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.

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