ASTROS NEWS
Astros' highly anticipated prospect earns MLB promotion
Apr 16, 2024, 12:38 pm
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.
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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.