Early returns encouraging in Astros leadership power struggle
I'M THE CAPTAIN NOW!
13 June 2023
I'M THE CAPTAIN NOW!
There were a lot of discussions last week about Astros GM Dana Brown commenting on the lack of playing time for Yainer Diaz. Brown's comments seem to have gotten through to manager Dusty Baker, as Diaz has been in the lineup a lot more recently.
And they're not just using him exclusively at catcher. We've seen Diaz employed as a DH, and he's played first base as well. In fact, he has played in 5 of the last 8 games and is hitting .417 in his last seven games. And they certainly need to use him more with Yordan Alvarez dealing with an oblique injury.
Dusty may have the authority to set the everyday lineup, but Dana Brown is the one with the long-term contract, as Baker has been going year to year.
So what does this mean moving forward? Will Dusty start splitting the catching duties a little more evenly as well? Could we be witnessing a changing of the guard with Diaz and Brown?
Watch the video above as we cover all the angles!
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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.
The home run by Peraza.
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
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.