STONE COLD 'STROS
Houston Astros raising eyebrows with sudden roster move to reinforce offense
Aug 7, 2023, 5:32 pm
Astros raising eyebrows with sudden roster move to reinforce offense!
The Houston Astros are coming off a series split against the New York Yankees, with the AL leading Baltimore Orioles next on the schedule.
While the Astros are still in a good spot with their pitching (2nd in team ERA), the offense continues to be the group struggling for consistency. Houston has now fallen to 15th in team OPS and slugging, with several players going through a tough stretch right now.
While many have been quick to point at Jeremy Pena's issues as of late, he actually has more hits than Alex Bregman and Jose Abreu combined over the last seven games.
Astros GM Dana Brown made it clear before the All-Star break that the team would like to add a left-handed bat to the roster, but Brown wasn't able to find a trade that wouldn't include an Astro on the current major league roster.
But the Astros do have Jon Singleton in Triple A hitting the cover off the ball with an OPS over 1100 in his 33 games with the Space Cowboys. According to reports, he is heading to Baltimore to join the Astros with Corey Julks being optioned back to Sugar Land.
Can Singleton provide a much-needed spark down the stretch for Houston? If he hits well in his limited opportunities, perhaps he can get some starts at first base from time to time, and give Jose Abreu some much-needed rest.
Be sure to watch the video above as we break it all down.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.