The most successful part of the weekend for the Astros was the successful completion of the 24-hour Bozoathon, an event with which we bombarded you all weekend. Thanks to you, we raised $8,485 - all of which will be going directly to charities associated with Harvey relief. If you'd like to get us to the $10,000 goal, you can still do so, but you need to hurry. Thank you to all of you who donated, and thank you to our guests who helped us pass the time. Y'all are amazing!
*The Astros are terrible and all is lost. Dallas Keuchel loaded the bases and walked in two runs and hit another batter to score a run as the A's swept the Astros in a four-game series and won 10-2. The bullpen continued to do recent bullpen things. Hinch:
We got beat. They did a lot of things right. A lot of walks, a lot of homers this series, and a lot of late runs. We have to get to a different city and an off day and come out of it better.
Keuchel:
That's September baseball. It's funky. We'll right the ship. I firmly believe we'll be back on our game come L.A. and finish this road trip strong.
*The Indians won their 18th straight game and took the best overall record from the Astros, who have been in sole possession of the best record in the American League since May 10. Please just remember that it took a team winning 18 straight games to do it. The Astros are 86-57, 13 games up on the Angels, against whom they open a series tomorrow night. They're now 1.0 back of the Indians for home-field advantage in the AL playoffs. There are 19 games remaining. Even if the Astros sweep the Angels, they won't clinch the division there (16 games up with 16 to play). So get your homestand tickets to see the first division title since 2001.
*FanGraphs' projections now have the Astros facing the Red Sox in the ALDS.
*Astros bullpen, this series against the A's: 12.2IP, 30H/29ER, 11K:17BB, 7HR.
*Luke Gregerson should never pitch against Oakland. This series: 1.2IP, 5H/5ER, 1K:1BB, 2HR.
In his career Gregerson has thrown 23IP against his former team: 21H/12ER, 19K:10BB.
*The Astros allowed 10+ runs in three of the four games (and nine in the first game of the series). They had allowed 10+ runs just five times prior to this series. I went down a B-Ref rabbit hole to try to find the last time they'd allowed 10+ runs in three straight games and, in the interest of getting this done before I have to get in the shower, it hasn't happened since before the 2010 season.
*Brad Peacock will start Thursday instead of Collin McHugh. Hinch:
Part of that is due to giving him as much time to heal as he can. I don't think he needs that much time, but I also want to get Keuchel and Verlander on regular rest after this time. There aren't a lot of turns after that Thursday start.
*Juan Centeno has a mild concussion after taking Jed Lowrie's backswing to the mask.
*Minor League Ball has three prospects you should know in the Astros system: Yordan Alvarez, Myles Straw, Cionel Perez.
*Forrest Whitley was Jeff Passan's starting pitcher on his Minor League Team of the Year.
*The New Yorker's David Redneck: When the Towers Fell
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
