How Jose Abreu's arrival could spark explosive Astros chain reaction
FINGERS CROSSED
15 June 2023
The Houston Astros have been waiting all season for free agent slugger Jose Abreu to provide the team with some power and run production.
After Wednesday night's performance, it looks like Abreu is taking off, based on his moon shot that went over the railroad tracks at the Juice Box.
Abreu currently has the second-most RBI's in the AL in the month of June, and his home runs are starting to happen in droves, with three in the last five games.
The timing couldn't be better, with Yordan Alvarez set to miss the next month with oblique discomfort. The Astros team OPS is also on the rise, begging the question. Can the Astros offense return to the Top 10 in OPS this season?
Plus, history tells us this isn't a fluke with Abreu. He turns it on in June almost every season. He's just two weeks late to the party in 2023.
Finally, can Abreu get hot enough to finish the season with an OPS of .700?
Don't miss the video above as we examine the recent power surge from Abreu.
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Wyatt Langford homered with a career-high tying four hits and Adolis García added a solo shot to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The Rangers jumped on Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4) early. There were two outs with the bases loaded in the first when Evan Carter’s single to right field knocked in a pair to put the Rangers up 2-0.
The AL West-leading Astros cut the deficit to 2-1 when Cam Smith scored on a groundout in the bottom of the inning.
García homered for a second straight game with one out in the third that made it 3-1. Carter walked with two outs before a single from Jake Burger. Jonah Heim’s double to right field scored them both to extend the lead to 5-1.
McCullers allowed six hits and five runs in three innings as Houston’s losing streak reached a season-high four games.
Langford’s blast came with two outs in the seventh to push the lead to 7-3.
Jack Leiter (5-6) yielded five hits and three runs while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings.
Christian Walker singled to open Houston’s fourth before Victor Caratini’s home run to right field got the Astros within 5-3.Burger was replaced in the middle of the sixth inning with discomfort in his left quad.
Houston’s top prospect, second baseman Brice Matthews, went 0 for 4 with with three strikeouts in his major league debut.
Key moment
Heim’s two RBI double in the third that pushed the lead to four.
Key stat
The Rangers forced McCullers to throw 36 pitches in the first inning.
Up next
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.90 ERA) opposes RHP Jacob deGrom (9-2, 2.29) when the series continues Saturday.
