Come off an incredible start to a new era of Houston Texans football, GM Nick Caserio and Head Coach DeMeco Ryans will look to build off their success and make some important additions in free agency.
Free agency is right around the corner, so the latest update about Texans star rookie receiver Tank Dell couldn't come at a better time.
Aaron Wilson is reporting that Tank Dell is expected to be ready for OTA's in May after suffering a broken fibula that ended his rookie season.
#Texans wide receiver Tank Dell at Travis Scott celebrity softball game at Minute Maid Park. Dell is making sound recovery from broken fibula, previous told @KPRC2 he is expecting to be back for organized team activities @Tankdell4 pic.twitter.com/knH8SX6OuC
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 16, 2024
The timing of this news is critical, because the Texans have some big decisions to make in free agency. The legal tampering period starts on March 11.
According to bookies.com, the Texans are the favorites to sign Buccaneers WR Mike Evans. Evans will be 31 years old when the season starts and could command as much as a 3-year deal for $68 million dollars, according to PFF. Similar to Davante Adams' deal with the Raiders.
The Texans have a lot of money to spend this year, but they also have a ton of wholes to fill, especially on defense. Knowing before free agency that Tank Dell should be good to go in May, could shift their priorities this offseason. With Tank Dell and Nico Collins locked in as their top receivers, they don't need to be desperate and overpay for an aging receiver. One could argue the Texans already have a younger version of Evans with Collins.
Instead of spending big on Evans, the team can go after some top defenders on the market, or look to re-sign Jonathan Greenard, Sheldon Rankins, Steven Nelson, or Dalton Schultz.
Be sure to check out the video above for the full discussion.
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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