With the lockout over, here's what you need to know about the Astros upcoming season
BASEBALL IS BACK!
10 March 2022
BASEBALL IS BACK!
With the MLB lockout finally behind us, let's take a look at what's changed for this season, and how it impacts the Astros.
Astros fans will get a full 162 game season in 2022 with Opening Day now taking place on April 7. All the fans wondering about Carlos Correa should know that free agency will begin once the CBA is ratified. Which could be as soon as today. As far as spring training, players will have to report by March 13 with games starting on March 17.
Astros fans have to like the DH being adopted by the National League this season, which means no more worrying about finding a way to get Yordan Alvarez in the lineup for interleague and World Series away games without moving Michael Brantley to right field.
Speaking of playoffs, 12 teams will now make the playoffs beginning this season. And finally, the CBT will begin at 230 million and increase to 244 million.
As bad as the lockout was, at least we will get a full season of baseball, and that's good news for Astros fans. The Astros are the AL favorite to win the World Series, tied with the Yankees at +900 on Bovada.
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.
The home run by Peraza.
It’s the fifth time the Astros have been shut out this month.
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.