MIDSEASON ROY
How Astros Rookie of the Year debate just got a lot more intriguing
Jul 5, 2023, 12:34 pm
The Houston Astros have dealt with their fair share of injuries so far this season, and while it's made things much more difficult in some aspects, it's also given young players an opportunity to prove themselves.
So which Astros rookie should take home the midseason ROY hardware? On the offensive side of the ball, Yainer Diaz appears to be the front-runner over Corey Julks.
The injury to Yordan Alvarez has given Diaz the chance to play regularly, and he's come through and added some pop in the lineup. He currently has 8 home runs (7 in his last 30 games) and is sporting an .754 OPS.
If only Dusty would start him more often at catcher over Martin Maldonado, whose defensive skills have diminished this season and is hitting an underwhelming .171 with a .536 OPS.
Raising the bar
The other top two candidates are starting pitchers Hunter Brown and JP France. You can't really go wrong with either pitcher. France's numbers (3.13 ERA) are a little better than Brown's (3.76 ERA), but he has only started 10 games to Brown's 16.
So who do you believe has earned Astros ROY at the midpoint of the season?
Be sure to check out the video as we share our thoughts on the team's best rookie.
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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.