TEXANS NEWS
Houston Texans bring back a familiar face to rush the passer
Mar 20, 2024, 6:18 pm
Derek Barnett returns to the Texans on a one-year deal. Composite Getty Image.
When head coach DeMeco Ryans spoke about the team's top priorities heading into next season, improving the defensive line was at the top of the list.
And so far, the Texans have done exactly that. After adding several key pieces in the first week of free agency Houston continued the trend by re-signing defensive end Derek Barnett to a 1-year deal, per KPRC 2's Aaron Wilson.
Houston added Barnett (age 27) off waivers from the Eagles in late November, and got good production from the move. Barnett played in six regular season games, starting four.
He recorded 2.5 sacks, 19 tackles, and 11 QB hits. And the timing of his arrival was key as the Texans were down their top pass rusher, Jonathan Greenard, who was dealing with an ankle injury in the last three games of the regular season.
Barnett also played in both Texans' playoff games. He had 1 sack, 7 tackles, and 2 QB hits.
With Barnett, Will Anderson, Denico Autry, and Danielle Hunter rushing the passer, the Texans should have plenty of firepower to harass opposing quarterbacks this 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.