Here's why the price of poker just went up for these Astros cornerstones
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
19 July 2023
The Houston Astros have been fortunate to get big performances from Framber Valdez and Kyle Tucker this season with so many injuries popping up over the first half of the season.
The injury to Yordan Alvarez and regression of Cristian Javier have really shed light on what Valdez and Tucker mean to the team.
The Athletic's Chandler Rome recently tweeted that the future contracts for Tucker and Valdez are skyrocketing, and the team wasn't close to reaching an agreement on contract extensions with either player before the season began.
So if the Astros weren't comfortable with the negotiations before the season began, imagine what the numbers will be if Tucker and Framber continue at this pace for the rest of 2023.
It could come down to this
Be sure to watch the video above as we examine how these negotiations will impact the team moving forward, and discuss which player the team should/will prioritize if they are only able to sign one of them.
If you enjoy the videos, subscribe on YouTube for our latest content.
And listen to ESPN 97.5 and 92.5 FM for Houston's best sports talk.
Jose Altuve and rookie Jacob Melton drove in three runs each as the Houston Astros jumped on Chris Paddack early and cruised to a 10-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
Paddack (2-6) tied career highs by allowing 12 hits and nine runs — eight earned — in just four innings for his third straight loss.
Houston rookie starter Colton Gordon (2-1) gave up six hits and two runs with five strikeouts in a career-high six innings.
Jeremy Peña tied a season-high with four hits and rookie Cam Smith had two hits and two RBIs as the AL West-leading Astros won their third straight.
Willi Castro, Royce Lewis and Ty France all hit solo homers for the Twins, who were blown out for the third time in four games after losing to Texas 16-4 Tuesday and 16-3 Thursday.
Lewis, who missed the start of the season with a hamstring strain, pulled up as he was running to first base on a single in the ninth inning and was replaced by a pinch-runner. There was no immediate word on his injury.
The Astros got to work early in this one. The bases were loaded with two outs in the first when Smith hit a two-run single to center field to make it 2-0. Melton followed with a single to right field to drive in another run.
There were runners on first and third with one out in the second when Altuve’s double scored two to make it 5-0.
The Twins loaded the bases with two outs in the third but Carlos Correa grounded out to end the threat.
Melton hit a two-run triple with no outs in the bottom of the inning to push the lead to 7-0. A sacrifice fly by Mauricio Dubón made it 8-0.
The Twins got on the board with Castro’s two-out homer in the fourth inning.
Altuve homered to left-center to start the bottom of the inning and make it 9-1.
Key moment
Smith’s two-RBI single in the first that gave Houston the lead for good.
Key stat
The Astros had four doubles to give them 15 in their last three games.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.82 ERA) opposes Twins RHP Joe Ryan (7-2, 2.96) on Saturday.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
