How Dusty Baker’s puzzling decisions could be forcing Astros hand
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05 September 2023
For many Astros fans, it's been a frustrating season watching Dusty Baker limit opportunities for some of his best players. Of course, we're talking about Chas McCormick and Yainer Diaz.
Things really escalated over the weekend when the Astros were swept by the Yankees, with Chas McCormick only starting one of the three games. And in the one game he started, Dusty Baker pinch-hit for him with Jon Singleton in the ninth inning of a one run game. Spoiler alert: Singleton struck out looking.
The following game, Dusty started Yainer and Chas against the Rangers and lo and behold, Houston won in a blowout. But don't think for a second that Maldonado won't be back in the lineup on Tuesday, with Framber taking the hill. (Notice below that Yainer is not in Tuesday's lineup).
Tuesdays in Texas.
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— Houston Astros (@astros) September 5, 2023
And it seems the only days Michael Brantley is in the lineup, McCormick has to sit. Dusty doesn't seem to trust Chas in center field anymore. Chas has only started in center field in one out of the last five games.
To be fair, we've seen Dusty change the way he manages when the playoffs start, but this season is different. If the Astros wait for Dusty to start playing McCormick and Diaz regularly in the playoffs, they may not get in. The division is way too close this season to be messing around with playing time.
With that in mind, could we see owner Jim Crane or GM Dana Brown get involved in Baker's perplexing lineup decisions?
Be sure to watch the video above as the guys break it all down.
Listen to The Bench with John Granato and Lance Zierlein weekday mornings on ESPN 97.5 and 92.5 FM.
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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