ASTROS NEWS
Houston Astros turn to Double-A standout with Verlander sidelined
Jun 20, 2024, 2:16 pm
Jake Bloss will start for the Astros on Friday. Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images.
The Houston Astros plan to call up right-hander Jake Bloss from Double-A Corpus Christi to make his major league debut against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday and fill a hole in their injury-depleted rotation.
Bloss, a third-round draft pick out of Georgetown in 2023, has a 1.74 ERA over 12 starts in Class A and Double-A. The 22-year-old right-hander is 3-1 with a 1.61 ERA in eight outings for Corpus Christi. He has never pitched in Triple-A.
Jake Bloss has been the biggest riser in my Astros rankings this season, he is going to jump into the top 5 in the forthcoming update.
Bloss sits 94.6 mph @ 18 IVB ~ 4.5 HB on his fastball from a 5”9 release (6-7 ft of ext).
Mixing cutter at 88-90 mph, sweeper at 81-83 mph w/… https://t.co/gaJuTqrHnD
— Geoff Pontes (@GeoffPontesBA) June 20, 2024
Houston has been hit hard by injuries, particularly to its pitchers.
Ace Justin Verlander went on the 15-day injured list on Tuesday to give him more time to resolve his lingering neck discomfort. Cristian Javier and José Urquidy each had Tommy John surgery this month. Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia could return after the All-Star break after missing the start of the season as part of the recovery process from major operations.
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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.