Astros tender contract offers to 3 players
HOUSTON – The Houston Astros have tendered contracts to three arbitration-eligible players: shortstop Carlos Correa, infielder Aledmys Díaz, and right-handed pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. Additionally, the club has agreed to terms on a one-year contract with right-handed pitcher Austin Pruitt. The deadline for Major League Baseball clubs to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players was 7 p.m. Wednesday. Selected by the Astros with the first-overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, Correa is entering his seventh Major League season with the Astros in 2021. He then made three starts for the Astros during the 2020 postseason, starting Game 1 of the ALDS at OAK, and Games 2 and 7 of the ALCS at TB. Pruitt, 31, was acquired by the Astros from Tampa Bay on Jan. 9, in exchange for two prospects, right-handed pitcher Peyton Battenfield and outfielder Cal Stevenson.
Say goodnight to the bad guys: Astros fall short in Game 7
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)SAN DIEGO – The Houston Astros spent this odyssey of a season as baseball's biggest villains. When Aledmys Diaz flied out with a runner on first to end Game 7 of the AL Championship Series, the bad guys finally lost. “The legacy of this group is that these guys are ballplayers, and these guys are men," said Baker, who took over the team in January. This was just a bunch of guys coming together and wanting to play damn good baseball and wanting to go to another World Series. Houston's lineup of veteran hitters simply kept slugging, and the Astros fought to the brink of the World Series.
Betts homers, Dodgers beat Astros 8-1; LA fans still sore
Los Angeles Dodgers' Mookie Betts, right, gets congratulations from Enrique Hernandez, after Betts hits a two-run home run against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)LOS ANGELES – Mookie Betts’ two-run homer highlighted a four-run fifth inning, Chris Taylor added a three-run shot, and the Dodgers defeated Houston 8-1 on Sunday night with angry Los Angeles fans letting the Astros have it again. For the second straight day, the Astros were bombarded with messages towed by planes over Dodger Stadium. Go Dodgers” and “Hey Astros Try Stealing This Sign!” read others. Dodgers: Begin a three-game series at San Diego on Monday in a showdown between the NL West's top teams.
Astros rally to beat Dodgers 7-5 despite angry LA fans
Bregman scored on Yuri Gurriel's sacrifice fly to center off Adam Kolarek for a 7-5 lead. The Astros improved to 7-17 on the road after coming in with losses in eight of their previous nine games. But there were multiple reminders that Dodger fans haven’t forgotten the Astros’ cheating scandal from their championship three years ago. Fans aren't allowed inside this season because of the coronavirus, but a group of Dodger supporters greeted the Astros' bus as it pulled in. Dodgers: RHP Dustin May, who took a line drive off his left foot in Arizona, had a CT scan that revealed a contusion but no fracture.
Astros place Altuve on IL due to sprained right knee
(AP) Houston Astros star Jose Altuve was placed on the 10-day injured list before Saturdays doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels. The move is retroactive to Friday after the second baseman sprained his right knee while sliding into third base during Thursdays game against Texas. The 2017 AL MVP is batting only .224 this season, but he was 16 of 48 over his last 14 games, including six multihit games. He recorded his 1,600th hit on Thursday, becoming the sixth player in franchise history to reach that milestone. Aledmys Diaz and Jake Mayfield are expected to play second base during Altuve's absence.
COMMENTARY: How does Alex Bregman’s injury affect the Astros’ World Series chances?
HOUSTON – The Houston Astros are down three starters in the lineup after Alex Bregman strained his right hamstring Wednesday night. Bregman joins starting left fielder Michael Brantley with a bruised quad and Yordan Alvarez, who is out for knee surgery. In the meantime, the Astros are starting rookies such as Abraham Toro and Taylor Jones, along with former top prospect Kyle Tucker, to fill on for Bregman. Abraham Toro will likely get the bulk of Bregman’s playing time at third base. Toro is hitting just .171 and is playing slightly below-average defense.
Governors warming to the idea of the return of pro sports
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)Governors around the country are warming to the idea of the return of professional sports to their states, with two caveats: continued progress against the coronavirus and no spectators in the stands. The heads of California, Texas, New York and Pennsylvania spoke Monday of the return of professional sports to their states, possibly as soon as next month. Gavin Newsom tied the return of pro sports with the state's continued progress against the virus. He also urged the state's pro sports teams to begin planning to resume playing without fans. New York state will help those major sport franchises to do just that, Cuomo said.
Power of 11: Number plays significant role in Astros' 11-1 win over Athletics
(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON - The Astros celebrated the Apollo 11 anniversary at Minute Maid Monday night and the power of 11 was prevalent throughout the entire game. In the third inning, the Astros scored their 11th run, while Armstrong was being interviewed in the booth. Yuli Gurriel hit a home run that brought him to an 11-game hitting streak, and Yordan Alvarez scored his 11th home run. I think it was very appropriate we scored 11 runs and were celebrating Apollo 11, Hinch said. Those were the only two hits as the Athletics ended a streak of 21 straight games with a home run.
Gerrit Cole leads Astros to 11-1 win over Athletics
Joe Smith high fives George Springer after the final out against the Oakland Athletics. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)HOUSTON - Gerrit Cole pitched seven strong innings and Aledmys Diaz, Yordan Alvarez and Yuli Gurriel homered as the Houston Astros jumped on Homer Bailey for nine runs early and sailed to an 11-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night. Cole (11-5) yielded two hits and one run while striking out 11 to help Houston to its sixth straight win, improving to 8-1 against the Athletics this season. Cole has recorded double-digit strikeouts in three straight games, giving him an MLB-leading 205 this season. Those were the only two hits as the Athletics ended a streak of 21 straight games with a home run.