1998 Watch
2017: 76-47
1998: 76-47
*It's the Astros' 7th shutout of the season and their 24th game of holding the opponent to 0 or 1 run. The Astros have won four of their last five games, five of their last seven.
*The Astros are 12-2 against Oakland in 2017 and have won 19 of their last 21 against the A's. In 2013, Oakland went 15-4 against Houston on their way to a division title. A's manager Bob Melvin:
How quickly it can flip. A few years ago we were doing to them what they're doing to us now. It doesn't feel too terribly good on the other side.
Collin McHugh: 6IP, 6H/0ER, 3K:1BB. Congrats on your first win of the season, Collin McHugh. He threw a dumb one against the White Sox, but his last two starts are: 11.2IP, 12H/2ER, 9K:2BB. McHugh:
As the game went on, I got a little bit more efficient with my pitches, with my fastball.
*Top-3 in the lineup (Springer-Bregman-Altuve) went 6x10 with 0K:2BB while 4-9 in the lineup went 2x18, 4K:1BB.
*The Astros got 6 GIDPs, which is ridiculous and if we were A's fans we'd be livid right now. The 6 GIDPs are the most for Astros pitchers since May 17, 2003, when the Astros got 6 GIDPs against the Phillies but still lost 9-4.
*Will Harris feels good and will likely go on a rehab assignment on Tuesday
*Baseball Prospectus has determined that Alex Bregman is, in fact, a star.
*Sportsnet's Shi Davidi has a great profile of Teoscar Hernandez, who was super-excited to get traded to Toronto.
*Jordan Jankowski is on outright waivers. If he clears, he'll stay with the organization. Jordan Jankowski's wife is named Jordan.
*The Boston Globe's Nick Cafardo writes that the Astros "haven't shut the door" on acquiring Justin Verlander but would have to take on most of his contract ($7m remaining this year, $56m over the next two seasons) and "give up a few prospects."
*Astros' minor-league playoff check:
Fresno: 70-57, 1.0 back of Reno (whom they are currently playing)
Corpus: 57-67, 7.0 back
Buies Creek: 70-55, 5.5 up in the 2nd half
Quad Cities: 72-51, 6.0 up in the 2nd half
Tri-City: 28-27, 2.0 back
Greeneville: 29-26, 4.5 back
*In the ongoing effort to always be a bigger part of the story than is necessary, umpires wore white wristbands to raise awareness of verbal abuse by players and managers.
*From Jeff Pearlman: The story behind sportswriting's filthiest [mess]-up.
*Someone from Indiana University's compliance office is about to file for unemployment.
*Click this link to read the book I started yesterday afternoon, and find very enjoyable.
*The New Zealand Bastard Chris Wood didn't play yesterday because he wants to play for a terrible Premier League side instead of the Glorious Leeds United, and Leeds United won yesterday, anyway. Marching On Together...
