The Astros' eight-game win streak is over, following a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Padres. Houston is 15-11, 3.5 games back of Oakland, who won, because, of course they did.
*Lance McCullers: 5IP, 7H/4ER, 2K:2BB.
The Bullpen: 3IP, 2H/0ER, 3K:3BB.
Houston pitchers have walked 115 batters through the first 26 games - that number, and I know that there are teams who are basically a barnstorming leper colony and haven't played in days, is the highest number of walks in baseball. The 2019 Astros walked their 115th batter of the season in the 45th game.
*Jose Altuve was 2x4 with a walk, giving him three straight two-hit games, and raising his batting average to .202 for the first time since July 28. He also hasn't struck out in three straight games.
*Kyle Tucker: 1x2, RBI, 2BB. Tucker has a four-game RBI streak going, and has gotten on base in nine of his last 13 PAs.
*Houston was 4x16 w/RISP and left 11 men on base. They struck out 13 times, tying a season-high, with 9Ks coming with runners in scoring position. Houston also left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings. It's almost as though not having Bregman, Yordan, and Yuli is a net negative.
*In the 4-5 spot last night were Reddick and Toro, who combined for an 0x8 night, including 0x5 with runners in scoring position.
*Chandler Rome: Why didn't Yuli Gurriel play last night? Dusty:
Did you see Yuli run [Thursday]? That's why we gave him [last night] off. He was looking sore...
*Michael Brantley is eligible to be activated from the IL today, but Dusty may give him another day or two. Dusty:
If need be, an extra day or two for precaution would be very, very good for him. We can't really afford anybody else going down.
*Josh James is probably headed to the IL. Because why not?
*James Click talked to Chandler Rome about Forrest Whitley, and whether or not he's still "untouchable:"
It's difficult to say right now just based on what he's going through. I think we've seen some flashes of the promise of Forrest Whitley in Spring Training 2.0, in particular. I don't think we'd be doing our job if we just took assets off the table and just said that they are untouchable, but obviously there are going to be some players that are just going to be much more difficult to move than other ones.
Click this link for how Click is approaching the trade deadline (on August 31).
*Richard Justice: Yuli is MLB's best-kept secret.
*Adalberto Mondesi's crazy story.
*Women and young people are Saving Baseball.
*FanGraphs: How the Red Sox went from 2018 World Series Champions to 2020 Disaster. I can think of a couple of reasons.
*Baseball Prospectus' Russell Carleton: The infield shift's effect on a pitcher cancels out its benefits.
*Heads-up, Houston and the Texas coast... If you live in or near Houston and don't read Space City Weather, you're doing it wrong. I don't live on the coast and I read it, so what are you even doing with your life?
*Teenagers from Chicago's West Side turned a liquor store into a fresh food market.
*The new Killers album is terrible.
*Outside: The best road trips in the US.
*Looking forward to watching this documentary this weekend.
*A Musical Selection:
