BACK ON BASE
Houston Astros and Jeff Luhnow swing deal to dismiss lawsuit
Feb 5, 2021, 3:53 pm
Luhnow was set to be paid $31 million. Photo by Getty Images.
Jim Crane says Luhnow wants to make a couple more moves
Former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow and the team have made nice after a bitter dispute.
A lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice Friday, February 5 after both parties "resolved their differences," the Houston Chronicle reports. The suit arose from the fervor of a controversial sign-stealing scandal that cost Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch their jobs.
The jettisoned Luhnow sued the Astros in November 2020 for breach of contract after being suspended one season without pay. The suit called for more than $1 million in damages and claimed the team made him a scapegoat during the investigation.
According to the lawsuit, Luhnow was set to be paid $31 million in guaranteed compensation, in addition to performance bonuses and other benefits, CultureMap news partner ABC13 notes.
As fans may recall, the previous lawsuit filed in Harris County alleges that the investigation conducted by the Astros and Major League Baseball essentially vilified Luhnow, while keeping team owner Jim Crane's image pristine and preserved the team's 2017 championship. The suit adds that Luhmow had no knowledge or direction of the sign-stealing scandal that was eventually discovered. Instead, the suit alleges, the investigation was merely a "negotiated resolution" between Crane and MLB commissioner Robert Manfred.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.