Houston Texans beef up offensive line by trading with Buccaneers

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Houston Texans beef up offensive line by trading with Buccaneers
Texans trade for guard Shaq Mason. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.

The Houston Texans needed some help on the offensive line and they addressed it by trading for Tampa Bay guard Shaq Mason on Tuesday.

This deal is basically a salary dump for the Buccaneers, as they are receiving a 6th round pick and sending Mason and a 7th rounder to Houston. This trade clears about $5 million in salary cap for Tampa, and the Texans get an upgrade at guard.

Mason will be 30 years old when the season begins and he started all 17 games for the Bucs in 2022.

Texans GM Nick Caserio is very familiar with Mason, as he was with the Patriots when Mason was drafted in 2015.

Houston looks pretty solid at the guard and tackle positions, with Laremy Tunsil, Tytus Howard, Kenyon Green, and now Mason.

It looks like the Texans are moving on from guard AJ Cann, per Aaron Wilson.

Hopefully, the Texans can address center next, either in free agency or the draft. The team re-signed center Scott Quessenberry recently, but his performance last season confirmed his level of play is not suited to be a starter.

The Texans also added free agent safety/slot corner Jimmie Ward on Monday night. Ward should fit right in to the Texans new defense, having played for DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco. The deal is for 2-years, $13 million.

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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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