Astros GM Dana Brown is looking for outfield help. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
It's no secret to Astros fans that offensive production has been almost nonexistent in Houston's outfield for most of the season. Outside of games in which Yordan Alvarez plays left field, the Astros have struggled to get anything going.
That's why the return of Kyle Tucker is so important for the 'Stros. Going into Monday's game against the Phillies, here are the batting averages for three of the outfield options over the last 30 days.
Jake Meyers is hitting .198, Mauricio Dubon .176, and Chas McCormick is sitting at .111.
Which is why we've seen the club add Ben Gamel recently, who's actually done a decent job with his limited opportunities.
Clearly the front office isn't satisfied with the outfield group, as MLB.com's Brian McTaggart is reporting that the Astros are close to signing left-handed veteran outfielder, Jason Heyward.
Source: Astros are close to signing OF Jason Heyward, who was released by the Dodgers.
Heyward, 35, slashed .208/.289/.393 with six homers and 28 RBIs in 63 games with L.A.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 27, 2024
McTaggart shared some of his numbers in the post below.
Heyward hit .208 with six homers and a .682 OPS in 63 games with Los Angeles this season and also dealt with injuries that limited his availability. That followed a 2023 season in which he enjoyed somewhat of a career rebound, hitting .269 with 15 homers and an .813 OPS after…
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 27, 2024
Let's just hope this signing has nothing to do with the Astros' optimism about Tucker returning fully healthy this season.
Dylan Cease pitched brilliantly into the ninth inning and Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Donovan Solano hit consecutive homers in the eighth for the San Diego Padres, who beat the AL West-leading Houston Astros 4-0 on Wednesday.
Machado homered twice for the Padres, who won two of three against the Astros and stayed two games ahead of Arizona for the first NL wild card. The Astros came in with a five-game division lead over Seattle.
Cease (14-11), who threw his first career no-hitter on July 25 at Washington, took a one-hitter into the ninth before Mauricio Dubón beat out an infield single to shortstop. Cease struck out Jake Meyers but then shortstop Xander Bogaerts booted Jose Altuve's grounder for an error that allowed Dubón to take third, and that was it for the right-hander after 103 pitches.
Cease retired the first 15 Astros batters before allowing a single to right field by Jason Heyward to open the sixth. Cease then retired the side.
Cease struck out five and walked none. Tanner Scott got two outs for his 21st save.
Machado, who has 29 homers, lined a shot to left-center off Framber Valdez opening the sixth.
Tatis, who struck out in his first three at-bats, hit reliever Kaleb Ort's first pitch into the first row in left-center leading off the eighth. It was his 19th. Machado followed with a shot deep into the seats in left and Solano hit a liner to left, his seventh. That was it for Ort, who threw just nine pitches.
Valdez (14-7) went seven innings, allowing one run and five hits while striking out six and walking two.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Padres: 1B/DH Luis Arraez got the day off to rest his sore left knee, which he jammed into home plate while being thrown out on Monday night. Arraez started at DH on Tuesday night.
UP NEXT
Astros: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (9-9, 4.29 ERA) is scheduled to start Thursday night in the opener of a four-game home series against the Los Angeles Angels, who will go with LHP José Suarez (1-2, 6.80).
Padres: Hadn't announced their starter for Friday night's home series opener against the Chicago White Sox.
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