Astros into the new year: Whatโs going on with the team, whatโs left to do for a 2023 World Series run
Merry Christmas, Astros fans! You got your present six weeks ago, but Iโm sure there are still plenty of Astros jerseys under the tree (except maybe Jeremy Peรฑa jerseys, which are notoriously hard to find according to our Mario Diaz.
Astros look to improve in key areas ahead of 2023 season, these are the players that could help
Hey guys, itโs Ari Alexander and Iโm back from San Diego where MLB held its annual Winter Meetings. There was a lot of action because annual hasnโt meant annual for two years due to COVID, so this was really the first event since 2019. I got to chat with Dusty Baker, Astros Ops. Director Bill Firkus, Kyle Tucker and a number of other baseball people in the know about what the Astros can be expected to do this offseason as well as other teams, so letโs dig in.
Altuve's 2 early throwing errors doom Astros in ALCS Game 2
โWe were down 0-2 in the World Series last year with (ALCS Game 3 starter) Josรฉ Urquidy and (ALCS Game 4 starter Zack) Greinke coming up next to pitch for us,โ shortstop Carlos Correa said. The Astros have made three errors in two games, while the Rays have played sparkling defense all across the diamond. Iโm sure heโll do that.โAfter the second error, Correa moved into the spot normally occupied by Altuve in the shift. Altuve's first error put the Astros in a hole they never escaped, even with a superb start from McCullers. After getting nine hits and just one run in Game 1, the Astros ended their 13-inning scoreless streak with Correa's homer.
Astros fall to Rays in Game 2 of ALCS
It followed a throwing error by second baseman Josรฉ Altuve from shallow right field on a grounder by Ji-Man Choi. Game 3 in the best-of-7 series is Tuesday night, when the Rays will send Tyler Glasow against Houstonโs Josรฉ Urquidy. Nice playWhile the Astros struggled on defense, the Rays made some nice plays. Astros: Urquidy started Houstonโs Game 3 loss to Oakland in the ALDS, giving up four runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings. That should line up Zack Greinke to start Game 4, although Baker wasnโt ready to commit to that on Monday.
Astros' big bats go silent in ALCS opener loss to Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay limited the Astros' star-studded lineup to nine hits โ but just one for extra bases โ in the Rays' 2-1 victory to open the ALCS at Petco Park on Sunday night. The Astros got no more big hits against Blake Snell and the Rays' justifiably vaunted bullpen. But with big scoring opportunities in the final two innings of the ALCS opener, the Astros couldnโt capitalize โ and the last two hurt the most. Yuli Gurriel grounded into a first-pitch double play with the bases loaded to end the eighth inning against Diego Castillo. The Astros scored first in all four games against Oakland in the ALDS, and they did it again in Game 1 of the ALCS.
Yuli Gurriel takes pay cut to $7M to stay with Astros
HOUSTON โ First baseman Yuli Gurriel and the Houston Astros have agreed to a one-year contract with an option for 2022 that guarantees $7 million, a cut of nearly 20% from his 2020 deal. Gurrielโs 2020 contract called for an $8.3 million salary and wound up being worth $3,074,074 prorated. His new deal includes a $6.5 million salary for 2021 and an $8 million club option for 2021 with a $500,000 buyout. He also would get $50,000 for becoming an All-Star, $50,000 for League Championship Series MVP, $100,000 for Word Series MVP, $200,000 for league MVP, $100,000 for second and $50,000 for third. Gurriel would have been eligible for free agency under a provision in his 2020 contract, even though he does not have the six years of major league service usually required.
Yuli Gurriel takes pay cut to $7M to stay with Astros
Houston Astros' Jose Altuve rounds third on his way home, scoring on a Yuli Gurriel single in the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)HOUSTON โ First baseman Yuli Gurriel and the Houston Astros have agreed to a one-year contract with an option for 2022 that guarantees $7 million, a cut of nearly 20% from his 2020 deal. Gurrielโs 2020 contract called for an $8.3 million salary and wound up being worth $3,074,074 prorated. He also would get $50,000 for becoming an All-Star, $50,000 for League Championship Series MVP, $100,000 for Word Series MVP, $200,000 for league MVP, $100,000 for second and $50,000 for third. Gurriel would have been eligible for free agency under a provision in his 2020 contract, even though he does not have the six years of major league service usually required.
Astros clinch final AL playoff spot despite loss to Rangers
(AP) โ Houston clinched the final spot in the expanded American League playoffs when the Los Angeles Angels lost about two hours after the Astros fell 5-4 to the Texas Rangers in 10 innings Friday night. Houston, which already had its three-year reign atop the division ended by Oakland, currently is the only AL playoff team without a winning record. The Angels' 9-5 loss to the Dodgers made Houston's Dusty Baker the first manager to lead five different franchises to the playoffs. UP NEXTThe Astros were waiting for the LA outcome to decide who would start the third game in the four-game series to finish the regular season. RHP Kyle Gibson (2-6, 5.87 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rangers.
Trout sets franchise HR mark, Angels rally to beat Astros
One out later, Adell lined a two-run single to right off Enoli Paredes (1-2) for his first game-ending hit. Kyle Tucker homered and drove in three runs for the Astros, who lost in walk-off fashion for the second straight game. With two outs and runners on second and third, Martin Maldonado hit a two-run single to right-center. After Yuli Gurriel's two-run single in the third, Tucker extended the lead to 4-1 with a run-scoring infield single. It is the seventh game to start with triple-digit temperatures since the ballpark opened in 1966.