Houston Texans may be forced to exercise extreme fallback option to deal with Deshaun Watson
SPORTSMAP ROUNDTABLE
03 March 2022
SPORTSMAP ROUNDTABLE
When the new league year begins on March 16th, the Texans will be on the hook for Deshaun Watson's full salary for this season, upwards of $35 million. This week, we react to an article on Battle Red Blog that suggests the Texans might be better off releasing Watson, taking the cap hit and moving on.
Be sure to check out the video above as we react to this unorthodox strategy, and examine if there's any benefit for the Texans with this approach.
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Isaac Paredes hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off reliever Robert Garcia in the eighth inning after Texas rookie Jack Leiter lost a no-hit bid in the seventh, and the Houston Astros rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Rangers on Sunday.
ISAAC. PAREDES. LET'S. GO. pic.twitter.com/Nh3cWZ51P1
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 18, 2025
Leiter gave up Yainer Diaz's solo homer with two outs in the seventh as Houston trimmed its deficit to 3-1.
Yainer goes yard! #BuiltForThis pic.twitter.com/VxlwHikeaY
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 18, 2025
The 25-year-old right-hander was replaced after consecutive soft singles from Jake Meyers and Cam Smith to start the eighth.
Texas reliever Chris Martin came on for Leiter but threw just one pitch before leaving with what the team said was right shoulder discomfort.
Lefty Robert Garcia (1-2) got two outs before Paredes' drive — his seventh homer — barely cleared the wall and the glove of a leaping Wyatt Langford near the foul line in left.
Josh Hader struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 11th save as the Texas rivals split a four-game series.
Houston left-hander Framber Valdez (3-4) opened with three perfect innings in his first meeting with the Rangers since losing a no-hitter with two outs in the ninth on the same mound last August.
The Rangers started the fourth with consecutive singles from Sam Haggerty, Langford and Josh Jung, who drove home Haggerty in a three-run inning for Texas.
Jonah Heim hit a deep drive to right-center with two outs and two on in the eighth with Texas trailing by a run, but Meyers ran it down on the warning track.
Leiter, the son of retired major league pitcher Al Leiter, pitched into the eighth for the first time in 13 big league starts over two seasons.
Houston rookie LHP Colton Gordon (0-0, 6.23 ERA) is set for the opener of a series at Tampa Bay on Monday. Texas lefty Patrick Corbin (3-2, 3.35) is set for the opener at the New York Yankees on Tuesday.