NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN
Manager Joe Espada keeps his word on adjustments to Astros lineup
Mar 28, 2024, 1:06 pm
Opening Day is upon us! Composite Getty Image.
The long wait is finally over. The Astros are back in action on Opening Day against Nestor Cortes and the New York Yankees.
Not only do we have an official roster released by the Astros, but we also know how manager Joe Espada is going to put his stamp on the batting order.
First, let's look at the roster below.
Your Opening Day crew. pic.twitter.com/N8Gm00GARL
— Houston Astros (@astros) March 28, 2024
Grae Kessinger made the club after dealing with a hamstring injury that had his availability in question. He gets the nod over Corey Julks who is heading back to Sugar Land.
Tayler Scott and Parker Mushinski will join the Astros bullpen, and Bennett Sousa is now on the IL with shoulder inflammation. Kessinger, Scott, and Mushinski were the only true wildcards to make the club, as there weren't any real surprises otherwise.
Astros lineup versus the Yankees
Manager Joe Espada recently said he planned on hitting Yordan Alvarez second and was considering batting Kyle Tucker in the three spot. And that's exactly what he did today against the lefty, Cortes. We were wondering if Espada would change his batting order against left-handed pitchers, but he told the media today that would not be the case.
“Tucker will hit behind Alvarez regardless of who the starting pitcher is,” Joe Espada said.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) March 28, 2024
The other big question mark was whether Jake Meyers or Jeremy Pena would bat ninth. Today, Meyers is slotted to hit last.
Here's the batting order with Framber Valdez pitching for Houston.
Let the Games Begin 👊
⚾: 3:10 p.m.
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN | https://t.co/K8ozsBRMFV
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM pic.twitter.com/wckY1ibrbo
— Houston Astros (@astros) March 28, 2024
Getting Alvarez and Tucker more at-bats sounds like a recipe for success to us. And if we're being honest, this is an improvement from last year's lineup on paper. Now the guys have to go prove it on the field.
Let's go beat those Yanks, and go Astros!
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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.