How latest eye-opening Astros report hints at something special brewing
STONE COLD 'STROS
14 February 2024
With the Astros arriving at spring training, fans are starting to get hyped for the upcoming season and the Opening Day matchup against the Yankees.
In fact, fans are so excited this season that Bob Nightengale is reporting the Astros have already hit a franchise-record for ticket sales (22,000).
Pretty incredible to think there's more anticipation for this season than last year, when the club was coming off a World Series win.
Which got us thinking, why is that?
Some fans may see this year as a last hurrah, with Alex Bregman likely to leave in free agency. Not to mention Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez, and Justin Verlander could be gone the following year.
Which also means this could be the Astros best chance to seal their dynasty with a third championship.
Another reason fans may not have been as excited for the 2023 season could have to do with the revenge tour the Astros were on to win another championship after their 2017 title was called into question. The Astros finished the deal in 2022, so that could have taken some juice out of last offseason. They slayed the dragon.
One thing is for sure, fans have to be happy this offseason with Jim Crane going over the competitive balance tax threshold by signing Josh Hader to a 5-year $95 million contract. Locking up Jose Altuve for the rest of his career certainly plays a role too.
Certainly this is a better look from ownership, as last season Crane fired GM James Click after the World Series and operated without a GM for much of the offseason. Rumors of Brad Ausmus or Jeff Bagwell becoming the next GM also had fans concerned.
Finally, having a true villain in the division could be drawing more interest with a legit rivalry between the Astros and now World Series champion Texas Rangers.
Or could it be something else?
Be sure to watch the video above as we share more thoughts on why the Astros have seen a spike in ticket sales for 2024 and much more!
Don't miss Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel.
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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