NUMBERS GAME

Ryan Pressly’s return triggers unforeseen roster move for Astros

Ryan Pressly’s return triggers unforeseen roster move for Astros
Will the Astros regret demoting Bryan King? Composite Getty Image.

Ahead of the Astros pivotal series with the Royals, they've made a few roster moves. Chas McCormick has been optioned to Sugar Land along with relief pitcher Bryan King.

They will be replaced on the roster by newly signed outfielder Jason Heyward, and Ryan Pressly, who is returning from the IL.

Heyward will make his Astros debut Thursday night and is playing right field and batting eighth.

The demotion of King comes as a bit of a surprise. He's been fantastic this season (2.05 ERA), and certainly better than their other lefty middle reliever, Caleb Ferguson (4.63 ERA).

But Ferguson is out of options, so the front office elected to send King to Sugar Land instead. If I'm Joe Espada, I am not pleased with this move. Espada has rightfully shown a lot more confidence in King this season.

Some news and notes for the upcoming series:

Kansas City Royals (75-59, second in the AL Central) vs. Houston Astros (71-62, first in the AL West)

Houston; Thursday, 8:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Brady Singer (9-9, 3.37 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 141 strikeouts); Astros: Hunter Brown (11-7, 3.72 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 151 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -155, Royals +130; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros host the Kansas City Royals after Yordan Alvarez hit three home runs on Wednesday in a 10-0 win over the Phillies.

Houston is 35-29 in home games and 71-62 overall. The Astros have a 59-18 record in games when they out-hit their opponents.

Kansas City has a 34-31 record on the road and a 75-59 record overall. The Royals have the third-ranked team batting average in the AL at .258.

The matchup Thursday is the fourth time these teams match up this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Alvarez leads the Astros with a .311 batting average, and has 29 doubles, two triples, 28 home runs, 60 walks and 71 RBI. Yainer Diaz is 13-for-42 with four home runs and four RBI over the past 10 games.

Bobby Witt Jr. has 39 doubles, 11 triples and 28 home runs while hitting .346 for the Royals. Salvador Perez is 13-for-38 with five doubles and three home runs over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 4-6, .272 batting average, 3.10 ERA, outscored opponents by seven runs

Royals: 6-4, .277 batting average, 4.85 ERA, outscored by four runs

INJURIES: Astros: J.P. France: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Ryan Pressly: 15-Day IL (back), Kyle Tucker: 60-Day IL (shin), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Royals: Michael Lorenzen: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Will Smith: 15-Day IL (back), Hunter Renfroe: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Hunter Harvey: 15-Day IL (back), Dan Altavilla: 60-Day IL (oblique), Josh Taylor: 60-Day IL (biceps), Kyle Wright: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

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Astros defeat the Angels, 6-4. Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images.

Ronel Blanco threw six scoreless innings, Jason Heyward had a home run among his three hits and the Houston Astros finished off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels with a 6-4 victory on Sunday.

Jeremy Peña had two hits with two runs scored as the Astros won their fourth consecutive game and remained 4 1/2 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the American League West.

Blanco (11-6) allowed two walks and had five strikeouts in his return to the starting rotation after pitching two innings of scoreless relief Sept. 7 against Arizona. Blanco was used out of the bullpen for a game to manage his usage in his first full season in the majors.

Josh Hader recorded the final two outs for his 31st save in 33 opportunities.

Taylor Ward hit a home run and rookie Eric Wagaman had two hits for the Angels, who lost their fifth consecutive game and fell for the seventh time in their last eight. The Angels dropped to 60-89, matching their loss total from the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Angels rookie right-hander Caden Dana (1-2) went 3 1/3 innings in his third career start, giving up five runs on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

In his fourth game in the starting lineup since debuting with the Astros on Sept. 1, Heyward hit a home run, his eighth, in his first at bat to give Houston a 1-0 lead in the third.

Heyward, who was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 24, reached base a fourth time after getting aboard on catcher’s interference in the eighth inning.

Heyward had an RBI single in a four-run fourth inning that also included RBI singles from Peña and Mauricio Dubon. Peña scored a run in the inning on a passed ball by Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe.

Jake Meyers gave the Astros a 6-0 lead in the eighth on an RBI single to right. Ward ended the Astros’ shutout bid with his home run in the eighth off Kaleb Ort, his 24th.

The Angels scored three times in the ninth inning with all three runs charged to left-hander Caleb Ferguson. Gustavo Campero had a run-scoring ground out in his major league debut and Charles Leblanc had a two-run single.

Wagaman had a double among his two hits, one game after he delivered his first career hit with an RBI double on Saturday. Wagaman was playing in his fifth game after making his major league debut Tuesday.

In the bottom of ninth, Astros pitching coach Joshua Miller was ejected by third base umpire Dan Iassogna for arguing a hit-by-pitch call.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: OF Ben Gamel was not in the lineup after sustaining a knee contusion in Saturday’s game. ... OF Kyle Tucker made his second start in right field since returning Sept. 6 from a right shin fracture. ... 1B Jon Singleton was a late scratch with an illness and was replaced by Victor Caratini.

Angels: OF Mickey Moniak was hit by a pitch on his left hand in the ninth inning and left the game. ... An MRI on the right shoulder of RHP Ben Joyce revealed only inflammation, although the team still will shut down the reliever, whose last pitch of the season on Sept. 3 was a 105.5-mph fastball. ... RHP Carson Fulmer (right elbow inflammation) was reinstated from the injured list, while both OF Bryce Teodosio (right middle finger fracture) and LHP Sam Aldegheri (left middle finger blister) were placed on the IL.

UP NEXT

Astros: RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-12, 4.72 ERA) is scheduled to pitch in the opener of a three-game road series against the San Diego Padres.

Angels: LHP Reid Detmers (4-6, 5.64 ERA) is scheduled to pitch in the opener of a three-game road series against the Chicago White Sox.

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