*Absolute beat-down yesterday at the hands of the Tigers as the Astros lose 13-1, their worst loss of the season, and lose their first road series since April 25-27 against Cleveland. The Astros are 68-36, 16 games up on the Mariners, with 58 games remaining.
*Astros versus:
NL: 9-1 (.900)
AL West: 31-14 (.689)
AL East: 15-8 (.652)
AL Central: 13-13 (.500)
The Astros are 5-5 in their last 10 games, 11-9 in their last 20 games.
*Lance McCullers yesterday: 5IP, 8H/5ER, 4K:4BB. In the month of July, McCullers has made four starts, throwing 18.2IP, 32H/20ER, 15K:11BB. This is not good. Hey guess what: McCullers couldn't locate his fastball again! Here's McCullers:
I don't care about my numbers, personally. I think I've gone out there the past couple times and put the team in a bad spot with the way I've thrown, so that's more frustrating.
*Astros starters have thrown 122.2IP in July, second-fewest in the Majors over that span.
*The bullpen has allowed 37 runs in their last 33IP. In July, Astros relievers posted an AL-worst 5.79 ERA (4.81 FIP/4.05 xFIP) for a -0.2 fWAR, 4th-worst in the Majors. They've collectively given up 1.93 HR/9 - worst in the Majors over this month.
*Tony Sipp:
The box score doesn't show it, but I feel really good.
No, the box score doesn't show that he feels good. What the box score does show is that Sipp threw 0.1IP, 3H/5ER, 0K:2BB yesterday. The box score shows that Sipp has a 6.39 ERA. A quick look at FanGraphs tells you that his 6.39 ERA is inflated, but it's not as though a 5.05 FIP is good, especially when he's your only lefty reliever option.
*Will Harris, activated from the DL on Friday, was put back on the DL yesterday morning. Harris:
It just was still painful to throw. We didn't think that was going to be the case when I got activated...But it didn't quite get better like we thought.
*Tyler White pitched the bottom of the 8th, if you want to know how things are going. Hinch:
We're not in a good spot right now. We're beat up. And we're having to wear it a little bit.
*Joe Musgrove is pouting a little bit, being in the bullpen:
It's fun being down there, knowing you have a chance to throw every day, but I wish I could throw more. Maybe down the line I'll get a chance in a more high-leverage situation, but right now, I'm just trying to do my job.
Musgrove allowed back-to-back RBI doubles yesterday.
*
#Astros didn't make major move before last deadline and it was noticed in clubhouse. Will be even more of letdown this year if nothing done.— Brian T. Smith (@ChronBrianSmith) July 30, 2017
*The Astros were the favorites to land Justin Wilson, who shut them down on Saturday, but ultimately the
Part of why you develop prospects is to exchange them for big leaguers when you need the help, and the Cubs needed to get better this year to take advantage of their current window to win.
Hm. That sounds familiar. Anyway, 3B Jeimer Candelario is a 23-year old 3B completely blocked by Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. Think "Tony Kemp." Now he's one of two players traded for a really good lefty reliever. Cool.
*Joel Sherman says the Astros are the strongest pursuer of Zach Britton and are willing to take the chance on his forearm holding up "because his upside would give them the best chance to win series in October. Baltimore wants an Aroldis Chapman-like return.
*The price for Brad Hand is still "insanely high," though maybe toned down a little, given what the Tigers took for Justin Wilson.
*Ken Rosenthal's latest post on Facebook tells us the following:
-The Dodgers and Yankees are the hottest on Darvish
-The Yankees and A's are at a stalemate on Sonny Gray
-The Dodgers are more focused on Zach Britton and could make a push for Gray if the Yankees back out.
The Dodgers are 74-31.
*David Schoenfield:
There's enough talent for the Astros to make a trade and keep the talent pipeline flowing. What deal will Luhnow make?
*Let's keep in mind that the Rangers just traded Jonathan Lucroy to Colorado for a PTBNL 363 days after trading Lewis Brinson (a Top 20 prospect) and Luis Ortiz (a Top 100 prospect) to get him.
*Did you know that Jeffrey Robert got inducted into the Hall of Fame yesterday?
*Former Astro Lee May passed away at 74. May was the key piece in the Cincinnati trade that gave the Reds Joe Morgan, and he was later traded to Baltimore for Enos Cabell.
*HISD is the 2nd-largest employer of people receiving housing help.
