Houston Texans make shocking, necessary front office decision
HIT THE ROAD, JACK!
17 October 2022
It's finally happening! Composite image by Jack Brame.
ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the Texans and executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby are parting ways.
A significant shakeup in Houston: Texans are parting ways with their executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby, sources tell ESPN. Houston hired Easterby in 2019 and he had a major voice in the organization.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 17, 2022
We've heard rumors this season that Easterby's relationship with the McNair family isn't what it used to be and that his time could soon be up in Houston. The timing of this decision is interesting, though, coming on Monday morning right after the bye week, and the Texans first win of the season. Clearly this wasn't a Friday news dump, the Texans wanted this out there.
Easterby spent three years in Houston becoming infamous for being Bill O'Brien's right-hand man that destroyed the Texans roster and salary cap. The Laremy Tunsil trade, giving Deshaun Watson a massive contract with a no-trade clause, getting fleeced in the DeAndre Hopkins trade are just a few of the franchise killing moves he and Bill O'Brien signed off on. The Texans are still dealing with a massive amount of dead money, even after Nick Caserio's best efforts to clean up the cap and culture in Houston.
Hopefully, the Texans can put this mess behind them and move forward with Nick Caserio and Lovie Smith continuing to turnaround the organization, put a better product on the field, and leave behind the drama.
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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