Houston Astros showing interest in this National League slugger, per report
ASTROS HOT STOVE
22 July 2022
Expect GM James Click to be active before the deadline. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
The Houston Astros are coming off an impressive doubleheader sweep of the New York Yankees, but that doesn't mean they are going to sit on their hands with the trade deadline approaching. According to Andy Martino, he's hearing that the Astros have interest in adding 29-year-old Nationals first baseman Josh Bell to the mix.
Mets would like Josh Bell, while another league source says Astros pursuing him. https://t.co/APMZgNmljl
— Andy Martino (@martinonyc) July 22, 2022
Soon to be a free agent, Josh Bell, has put together some impressive numbers this year and could certainly provide some "juice" to the Astros lineup. Bell is currently slashing .311/.390/.504 with 13 dingers and an OPS of .895.
Bell would be a welcomed addition to the ball club, considering 1st baseman Yuli Gurriel's steep decline this season after leading the league in batting average in 2021.
Yuli is currently hitting .235 with an OPS of .671. Gurriel finished last season hitting a league-leading .319 and will be a free agent after this year.
Astros GM James Click has until August 2 to make some improvements before the trade deadline passes. You can check out some of Bell's highlights from this season below.
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.
