TOP 100

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

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, 4-1. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

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.

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