*Houston's 24-11 road record is a half-game better than Boston's for best in MLB. They're 6-1 against Oakland this season, 4-0 in Oakland.
*Evan Gattis was 2x4 with his 11th home run - a three-run shot - and a two-run double for 5RBI. Hinch:
He's obviously seeing the ball and he's putting the barrel on it and coming up with huge hits, a lot of them doing damage.
Gattis:
It's like, let 'em know we're here, you know?
Evan Gattis was 0x3 in across three straight pinch-hitting performances from May 3-6. Since then he has ten home runs and 29 RBI. Only J.D. Martinez, Andrew Benintendi, Mike Trout, and Max Munch have more home runs in that period. Aaron Judge also has ten home runs since May 7, but check their respective lines:
Judge: 25x104, .240/.365/.567, 39K:20BB
Gattis: 28x98, .286/.333/.633, 16K:6BB
Hinch:
It's nice to watch him go from the beginning of the season and be so frustrated and get into June and he's locked in.
*Carlos Correa smacked a home run - his 11th - in his first game back since missing the entire Rangers series with a sore side. Correa also committed his first error in 70 games, and that's where the franchise record for a shortstop will set, at least until Game 139.
*Every Astro got a hit except for Jose Altuve (0x5) and Brian McCann (0x3, BB). It's Altuve's 5th 0x5 game of the year.
*Alex Bregman was 1x4 with 0K:1BB. This season he has 38 strikeouts and 40 walks. The walks are 5th in the AL. He's the 11th MLB player with 40 walks this season. Only Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, Justin Smoak, and Shin-Soo Choo have more walks in the American League.
*A's starting pitcher and Former Astros Great Daniel Mengden:
2018 vs the Astros: 13.2IP, 20H/12ER, 6K:5BB.
2018 vs Everyone Else: 69.1IP, 57H/24ER, 46K:10BB.
*Lance McCullers threw 7IP, 5H/2ER, 5K:3BB to improve to 8-3. Since getting rocked against Cleveland on May 26, McCullers: 20IP, 16H/7ER, 13K:7BB. His 32 walks this season are 8th-highest in the AL.
*AL West teams vs. AL West Teams, 2018:
Houston: 23-10
Anaheim: 15-9
Seattle: 16-13
Arlington: 14-24
Oakland: 10-22
Oakland is 10-22 vs the AL West, and 24-11 against everyone else.
*Doctors have determined there's no structural damage to Joe Smith's elbow.
*If All-Star voting ended today (and it would be weird if it did), Jose Altuve would be the Astros' lone starting position player.
*A.J. Hinch added Rich Dauer to his AL All-Star coaching staff.
*In The Athletic, I wrote about the resurgence of Hector Rondon.
*Hunter Atkins writes that Will Harris is struggling to find his former self.
*Framber Valdez threw 5IP, 3H/1ER, 10K:1BB in relief during a Corpus loss last night. Randy Cesar was 1x4 to extend his hitting streak to 34 games. Forrest Whitley pitches tonight.
*Jake Rogers went 3x4 with 4RBI last night for Double-A Erie. Justin Verlander didn't even pitch last night so who won the trade?
*Miguel Cabrera is out for the season after rupturing a biceps tendon. He is owed the rest of his $30m salary for this year plus $154m guaranteed through 2023.
*The US, Mexico, and Canada will host the 2026
*Probably not ideal to fire your head coach the day before the World Cup starts.