ASTROS NEWS
Astros roster shake-up and injury updates heading into series finale with A's
Sep 12, 2024, 12:46 pm
The Astros will try to avoid the sweep against Oakland. Composite Getty Image.
Oakland Athletics (64-82) vs. Houston Astros (77-68)
Location: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Date: Thursday, 2:10 p.m. EDT
Pitching Probables:
- Athletics: Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.42 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 111 strikeouts)
- Astros: Framber Valdez (14-6, 2.97 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 153 strikeouts)
BETMGM Sportsbook:
- Line: Astros -236, Athletics +193
- Over/Under: 8 1/2 runs
Bottom Line:
The Houston Astros aim to halt a three-game skid as they host the Oakland Athletics in the final game of their three-game series. Houston, sitting atop the AL West with a 77-68 record, looks to stabilize after recent struggles. Despite their slump, the Astros are among the top power-hitting teams in the AL, ranking sixth with 170 home runs.
Oakland, with a 64-82 record, will try to play spoiler and win their second straight series against Houston. The A’s have been effective with the long ball, ranking sixth in MLB with 184 home runs, averaging 1.3 per game.
This is the 13th meeting between these division rivals this season, with the Astros holding a 7-5 advantage in the series.
Top Performers:
- Astros: Yordan Alvarez continues to anchor Houston’s offense, leading the team with a .313 batting average, 31 doubles, 32 home runs, and 80 RBI. Jose Altuve has been on a recent tear, hitting 14-for-39 with a home run and five RBI over his last 10 games. However, Altuve won't be in the lineup Thursday as he's day-to-day after exiting Wednesday's game early after injuring his side.
- Athletics: Brent Rooker leads Oakland’s offense with 35 home runs and a .577 slugging percentage. Shea Langeliers has also been productive lately, hitting 10-for-41 with three home runs and seven RBI in his last 10 games.
Last 10 Games:
- Astros: 4-6, .256 batting average, 3.80 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs.
- Athletics: 5-5, .253 batting average, 4.54 ERA, outscored by 21 runs.
La Grasa for game 3.
⚾️: 1:10pm
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#Relentless x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/DmnJo97Y26
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 12, 2024
With ace Framber Valdez on the mound, Houston will look to reverse their fortunes and secure a win as the regular season winds down. Mitch Spence will aim to keep Oakland competitive as they try to take another game from the AL West leaders.
Injury updates
Chas McCormick has been placed on the IL with a small fracture in his right hand. IF Grae Kessinger and LHP Bryan King have been recalled from Sugar Land.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES:
- IF Grae Kessinger and LHP Bryan King were recalled from Triple A Sugar Land.
- RHP Nick Hernandez was optioned to Triple A.
- OF Chas McCormick was placed on the 10-day IL with a small fracture in his right hand (retro to Sept. 11).
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 12, 2024
Kyle Tucker is expected to play right field on Friday. He has only played as the DH since returning from injury. This would be a big step forward for King Tuck.
The plan is for Kyle Tucker to play right field tomorrow in Anaheim, Joe Espada said.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) September 12, 2024
Joe Espada provided an update on Altuve saying he is “better” today. He remains day-to-day.
Joe Espada said Jose Altuve is "better." Espada expected him "to come in and be more sore, especially after the way it looked yesterday" but Altuve was able to do some things in theweight room. He remains day to day.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) September 12, 2024
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Isaac Paredes has been a steady force in the middle of the Astros’ order, but a tweaked hamstring suffered during Thursday’s win over the White Sox may force Houston to recalibrate, again.
If Paredes misses time, the most logical shuffle would see Jose Altuve sliding back to second base, with Mauricio Dubón stepping in at third. It’s a reasonable patch. But internally, there’s also some intrigue around whether Cam Smith—currently thriving in right field—could slide back to his original position on the infield. The idea isn’t without merit; Smith is the club’s best offensive option at third in Paredes’ absence. But defensively, it’s hard to justify moving him right now. Smith made several standout plays in the Chicago series, reinforcing just how important his glove has become to the Astros’ outfield defense. One thing is for sure, the Astros can't afford to play both Dubon and Brendon Rodgers in the infield regularly. The offense would take a huge hit.
Timing, however, might be on Houston’s side. The next stretch of games features the Twins, Athletics, and Angels—three teams the Astros can beat even while navigating lineup instability. It helps that Yainer Diaz and Christian Walker are showing signs of life at the plate. Diaz, in particular, has been red-hot, posting an OPS north of 1.200 over the past week. Walker is batting over .300 during that same span, giving the Astros enough firepower to survive short-term turbulence.
Elsewhere, the outfield presents its own set of choices. Jacob Melton has shown enough in the field to warrant a serious look as Chas McCormick’s replacement when he returns from injury. He’s still searching for consistency at the plate, batting under .200 in his first 10 big league games. But his arm and left-handed bat give manager Joe Espada a little more lineup flexibility—especially with Yordan Alvarez still out and the offense skewing right-handed.
For now, the Astros have room to adjust. But if Paredes ends up missing significant time, they’ll need more than just a few temporary solutions to keep their momentum going.
There's so much more to cover! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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