Texans Transactions
Texans pick up Kevin Johnson's fifth-year option
Apr 30, 2018, 1:25 pm
Kevin Johnson will have another year to prove he can stay healthy. Photo by John Grieshop/Getty Images
Just two days after the completion of the NFL Draft, the Texans opted to exercise cornerback Kevin Johnson's fifth-year option. This move makes a lot of sense after Houston waited until the seventh round to select their first corner, San Jose State's Jermaine Kelly. With Johnathan Joseph now thirty-four years old, Houston can't realistically expect him to play much longer.
Health has been the main issue with Johnson so far in his career. He was drafted 16th overall in the 2015 draft and will earn a little over $9 million in 2019. Johnson has dealt with foot and knee injuries the last several years, so staying healthy has been difficult for him. He's missed fourteen games the last two seasons, which is certainly a concern moving forward. Johnson has one career interception and one fumble recovery in three years.
If Johnson can bounce back and play as well as he did before his injuries, the Texans will really be in a good spot with their secondary. They already added corner Aaron Colvin, and safety Tyrann Mathieu in free agency. They were also able to "steal" Stanford safety Justin Reid in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.