Houston Astros turn to Double-A standout with Verlander sidelined
ASTROS NEWS
20 June 2024
ASTROS NEWS
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.
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.