Nick Caserio is wheeling and dealing for Texans with 2 trades being reported Sunday
TRADE ALERT
14 March 2021
Caserio isn't wasting any time. Composite image by Jack Brame.
ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the Texans are trading LB Bernardrick McKinney to the Dolphins for linebacker/pass rusher Shaq Lawson. The Texans need to beef up their pass rush after JJ Watt's departure, and McKinney was expected to be a cap casualty if he hadn't been traded. Ian Rapoport is reporting that the Texans gave McKinney and his agent permission to seek a trade. Once the Texans signed linebacker Christian Kirksey on Friday, many people expected that McKinney's days as a Texan were numbered.
Houston and Miami have a deal: Texans are trading LB Benardrick McKinney to the Dolphins for LB Shaq Lawson, per league sources. The deal also will include a swap of late-round picks, but the focus is the LBs.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2021
Another trade was announced on Sunday which will send New England tackle Marcus Cannon to Houston in exchange for draft pick swaps between New England and Houston in the 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds, per Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
And so today, the #Texans execute two trades, though the Marcus Cannon agreement was actually struck prior to today. Expect more in Houston, as GM Nick Caserio works to fix a roster that needs plenty of help. https://t.co/fsM4terEsc
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 14, 2021
Wyatt Langford homered with a career-high tying four hits and Adolis García added a solo shot to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The Rangers jumped on Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4) early. There were two outs with the bases loaded in the first when Evan Carter’s single to right field knocked in a pair to put the Rangers up 2-0.
The AL West-leading Astros cut the deficit to 2-1 when Cam Smith scored on a groundout in the bottom of the inning.
García homered for a second straight game with one out in the third that made it 3-1. Carter walked with two outs before a single from Jake Burger. Jonah Heim’s double to right field scored them both to extend the lead to 5-1.
McCullers allowed six hits and five runs in three innings as Houston’s losing streak reached a season-high four games.
Langford’s blast came with two outs in the seventh to push the lead to 7-3.
Jack Leiter (5-6) yielded five hits and three runs while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings.
Christian Walker singled to open Houston’s fourth before Victor Caratini’s home run to right field got the Astros within 5-3.Burger was replaced in the middle of the sixth inning with discomfort in his left quad.
Houston’s top prospect, second baseman Brice Matthews, went 0 for 4 with with three strikeouts in his major league debut.
Key moment
Heim’s two RBI double in the third that pushed the lead to four.
Key stat
The Rangers forced McCullers to throw 36 pitches in the first inning.
Up next
Houston LHP Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.90 ERA) opposes RHP Jacob deGrom (9-2, 2.29) when the series continues Saturday.
