Two things can be true: Mike Burrows has been both bad and unlucky. By ERA, for as flawed as it is, only one qualified starter (Tyler Mahle, 6.04) had a higher mark than Burrows’s 5.75. Only three had a worse FIP. SIERA is a tiny bit kinder to Burrows, but only 14 starters separate him from the bottom. No matter how you slice it, that is a bad starting pitcher. Of course, Burrows’s results are also influenced by a .327 BABIP, although he has done a decent job in limiting hard contact and barrels. Better days may be ahead if there is an improvement in sequencing and avoiding needless implosions.
Wednesday’s start against the Rangers provides some hope in a season hanging in the balance. Minus that first inning, of course. That was a near disaster for Burrows, who only allowed a run amid this mess.
Escaping that first inning proved to be the most stressful part of Burrows’s start. Other than a solo home run from Joc Pederson in the top half of the third inning, the right-hander avoided any further issues, ultimately throwing seven innings of two-run ball. In fact, only the second time this season that Burrows had thrown at least seven innings. This game was arguably his second-best this season, with his seven-inning start against the Reds earlier in May topping it.
For the lineup, it was mostly Yordan Alvarez and Taylor Trammell, who combined for five of Houston’s eight hits.
Alvarez drove in two with a pair of solo home runs, with Trammell contributing with a sacrifice bunt to force a throwing error from Tyler Alexander, allowing Christian Walker to score. Braden Shewmake also had an RBI sac fly, and that is how the Astros scored their four runs. That sac bunt by Trammell proved to be the difference maker as it provided the always valuable insurance run, with Pederson hitting his second home run of the night against Bryan King in the eighth.
I’ll have to look further, but I wonder where the Astros rank in asking a reliever to cover some portion of the eighth inning in addition to the ninth. Because, in this game, Joe Espada turned to Enyel De Los Santos for the five-out save, replacing King in the eighth with only one out. Thankfully, it worked out, with De Los Santos striking out three in 1 2/3 innings.
Now 25-32, the Astros have a winning record in May at the moment (13-12) and are only three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners. That’s a positive, I guess. Better than whatever that mess was in April. While I am not particularly optimistic about their chances, at least this team is making things somewhat interesting again. Let’s see if that holds.
Feature photo from @astros on X, Source Link
Obviously, Espada is still learning how to manage a baseball team. This is not the time or the place to learn. I believe we have good players in a bad team, and the difference is Espada.
Everything is great for him when the pitcher goes 7 full innings. Remember his bullpen of Pressly, Abreu, and Hader? Not a lot of issues pressing the right buttons
I guess Espada doesn’t realize it. Everytime he moves the runners, or try it, he shows he wants to win, puts pressure on the opposite team, and energizes the Astros. He is doing it lately, after three years managing in the big leagues. Guessing again, someone is pressuring him to “actively manage.”
He is in his third year as a manager. The first year, he was a Dusty copycat. The second year, meh, and the third year more of the same. We have good players, the team should do much better.
I never agreed with your copycat claim but now I do in regards to the rotation usage. Too many times we saw HB go deep in a pitch count under Baker. Now we are seeing it again.
Burrows was fantastic after the first inning. But there was no reason to have him go 7.
I would be curious if there was a connection between consistent deep outings and struggling in later games.
Everyone got a chance to go deep in games under Dusty… except Odorizzi. lol
In Dusty’s good old times, going 9 innings was normal. But, the pitchers didn’t put the same effort back then (spin+velocity). Now, they top at 100 pitches, rest 4-5 days, and get TJ procedure in 5 years.
Another thing, that lefty-lefty thing has been replaced by matchups. Ask Yordan.
I hadn’t looked a the standings in a while. I can’t believe this team, seven games under .500, is only three games back. No one in the division over .500.
No rebuild or retooling this year. Just delusion and finger crossing.
buying and selling is the move but just won’t happen.
I’m not so sure it won’t happen. What I’m uncertain about is the conditions which would trigger each scenario (buy, buy/sell Rays style, pure sell).
I’m fairly confident that our top 100 guys are untouchable and Yordan is likely untouchable in trade talks.
And likely that it will be very hard to convince the org to make the hard decision on Pena or Brown even if if could be good for the long term future of the team. But it remains possible and other players may be moved.
I can see all parties involved (Crane, Brown, fanbase as a whole) being sold on a buy/sell strategy depending on the standings nearer the deadline.
It just makes sense. Would honestly love to see if Vazquez could return anything at the deadline or even DLS. Move Paredes at the deadline no matter what.
Yeah there are so many variables involved it’s hard to know who specifically could be moved, but I do think we could play from a position of strength and deal a reliever or two. Pitching always draws overpays at the deadline. Lambert might be a candidate too. Vazquez is an ideal piece but I worry we might not be able to function at all without him at this point, lol. I’d wait until Paredes gets hot (he’s going to) to offer him up.
The good news is, with the opening salvos of contract negotiations looking promising, teams might start valuing that 2027 year of control more soon.
I understand (and reject) the seductive attraction of Fantasy Baseball. For me, as a rule of thumb, first, you trade the overflow, not what have value.
should add Meyers to the trade no matter what category.