Nick Caserio is wheeling and dealing for Texans with 2 trades being reported Sunday
TRADE ALERT
14 March 2021
TRADE ALERT
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
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.