A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME
How Astros pitching plus power renaissance reshapes AL West division race
Aug 13, 2024, 10:35 am
The Astros are rounding into postseason form. Composite Getty Image.
The Houston Astros are heating up at the right time as they have a six game winning streak after defeating the Rays on Monday night.
The top of the order put up some big numbers in Boston, and the starting pitching has really fallen into place, with Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti looking like top of the rotation starters moving forward.
However, the main issue that could derail the club this year has to be the bottom half of the lineup. Over the last 30 games, look at the batting averages that Joe Espada has to work with.
Mauricio Dubon .137
Chas McCormick .175
Jon Singleton.235
Jake Meyers .196
Which is why Zach Dezenzo should continue to get more opportunities. And that goes for Victor Caratini as well. Since Caratini returned from injury, he's raised his batting average from .257 to .275.
If he had enough at-bats to qualify, he would have the second-highest slugging percentage (.466) on the team, behind Yordan Alvarez (.561).
We've also seen manager Joe Espada willing to play both Caratini and Yainer Diaz in the same lineup. Which means Yordan Alvarez has to play left field.
Alvarez started in five-straight games in left field before Monday night. Playing Yordan in left also provides opportunities to rest veteran players. Altuve hit in the DH spot on Sunday, something we've been talking about all season.
He's 34 years old and needs a day off from time to time. And this is a way you can rest him and still keep his bat in the lineup. When Kyle Tucker does return from injury, it's hard to believe he'll start every game in right field as he's working his way back into game shape.
With Yordan in left, Tucker could also benefit from hitting in the DH spot from time to time.
Playoff push
As well as the Astros have been playing, they weren't able to gain any meaningful ground on the Mariners, as they swept the Mets over the weekend.
Can the Astros stay hot and put some distance between themselves and Seattle? A series against the lowly White Sox this weekend could do the trick!
Be sure to watch the video above as we highlight some important pockets in the upcoming schedule, and examine several strategies that could give Houston the edge as they approach the final stretch of the season.
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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.