ESPN's top 100 gives important insight into current state "Astroball"

TOP 100

ESPN's top 100 gives important insight into current state "Astroball"
Yordan Alvarez was the highest ranked player for Houston. Composite Getty Image.

With the 2024 MLB season getting ready to start in a couple of days, it's the perfect time to take a look at the player rankings for the upcoming season.

ESPN recently released their Top 100 players list, and it's no surprise that the Braves and Astros had more players (8) than any other teams in the league.

What makes this list interesting is the position players are listed along with the pitchers. Houston only has one player that cracked the Top 10, with Yordan Alvarez coming in at No. 8. Just one spot in front of the highest paid player in baseball history, Shohei Ohtani.

Be sure to watch the video above as we discuss all the Astros that made the list, and examine if ESPN got their rankings right.

8. Yordan Alvarez

26. Jose Altuve

28. Kyle Tucker

49. Alex Bregman

50. Justin Verlander

56. Framber Valdez

61. Josh Hader

88. Jeremy Pena

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The Angels beat the Astros, 3-0. Composite Getty Image.

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.

Key moment

The home run by Peraza.

Key stat

It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.

Up next

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.

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