Forrest Whitley is being called up. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images.
It's no secret the Astros have dealt with their fair share of injuries and lackluster performances at this early stage in the season. The hitting has been a little inconsistent, but overall has been good, posting a Top-3 team OPS.
The pitching, however, is the club's biggest area of concern. They currently have the second-worst team ERA in baseball. That should get corrected soon with Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez working their way back in the rotation. But in the meantime, the Astros need some fresh arms in the bullpen.
According to multiple reports, the Astros are calling up former 2016 first round pick, Forrest Whitley.
The Astros needed a fresh arm, Forrest Whitley is on the 40-man roster and their many other optionable relievers in Triple-A haven’t been down long enough to be recalled without putting someone on the IL.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 16, 2024
It's been a long time coming for Whitley, who is yet to make his big league debut with the club. Whitley (age 26) has dealt with countless injuries since being drafted by Houston.
He pitched 30 innings for Triple-A Sugar Land in 2023 recording a 5.70 ERA. This spring, Whitley got injured once again. He's only pitched 3 innings for Sugar Land in 2024, allowing 4 runs with an ERA of 12.00.
Hopefully, Whitley finds success with his high-powered fastball and finally shows the potential that got him drafted in the first round almost eight years ago.
José Soriano and two relievers combined for a two-hitter and Oswald Peraza hit his first home run since a trade from the Yankees to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Houston Astros on Sunday.
Soriano (10-9) allowed one hit and struck out eight in seven innings. Luis García allowed one hit in a scoreless eighth and Kenley Jansen threw a perfect ninth for his 25th save.
There were two outs in the fifth when Peraza connected off Hunter Brown (10-7) into the bullpen in right-center field to put the Angels up 1-0. His homer comes after his two-run single in the ninth inning Saturday helped Los Angeles to a 4-1 victory that snapped a three-game skid.
Yoan Moncada walked to start the eighth and scored on Mike Trout’s double that bounced off the wall in center field to make it 2-0. Taylor Ward walked before Luis Rengifo reached and Trout scored on an error by Lance McCullers Jr. when the pitcher overthrew first base.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the first and Soriano walked a batter in the second and sixth innings. The Astros didn’t get another hit until Ramón Urías doubled with one out in the eighth inning. Los Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward was injured trying to make a catch on that hit when he crashed face-first into the metal scoreboard in left field.
He was carted off the field holding a towel to the right side of his face. He was taken to a hospital by ambulance where interim manager Ray Montgomery said he would receive stitches to close the cut and be evaluated.
Brown allowed three hits and a run with five strikeouts in six innings. McCullers Jr. allowed three hits and two runs in his first relief appearance since 2018.
Key moment
The home run by Peraza.
Key stat
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
Up next
LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-9, 3.68 ERA) will start for Los Angeles in the series finale Monday against RHP Luis Garcia, who’ll make his return after sitting out since May 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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