Welcome to the Launch Briefing, a daily feature, where you will find a roundup of news and interesting stories from the Astros clubhouse and from around the league.
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It’s the Friday Launch!
Houston Astros News
Brown will start finally against Tigers (YS)
Imai might be adjusted to MLB (HC)
Yordan names All-Star finalist (HC)
AL West News
Mastrobuoni outrighted by M’s (NBC)
A’s release Barlow (FP)
Angels bring in Tate (NBC)
MLB News
Semien lands on the IL for the Mets (NYP)
D-backs activate Keplar (ESPN)
Pirates place Horwitz on IL (TL)
Houston Astros birthdays
None.
Feature photo from Astros on X, Source Link
So back on May 1, I was certain both Espada and Mendoza would be fired within a week or two, and the question was just gonna be which one would go first.
Carlos Mendoza was finally fired. Only 2 teams are further away from playoff position than the Mets: Giants and Rockies.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7397703/2026/06/26/mets-fire-carlos-mendoza-the-windup/
You have to wonder how much the significantly tougher competitive environment in the NL has harmed those managers while protecting skippers in the AL.
There was a time when we and the Mets had a similar record, but we still had a 25% ish chance to recover whereas their ability to win the division was basically gone from a probabilistic perspective. The cries for blood from fanbases probably ring louder when your team is *actually* out of the race in mid-May.
Phillies and Mets first, will Vitello get fired? Kinda unlikely since he’s a first year guy?
Also the Rockies aren’t firing anyone unless the new GM doesn’t like his guy, as meh as they are they are probably the best Rockies team in years.