The Astros lost last night. That’s usually where the money is this season, that the Astros will lose. I’m not trying to be nihilistic; the Astros are literally below .500 at 66-67, so they statistically lose more often than they win.
They also remain in first place for the division. As terrible as Houston has been, the Mariners and Rangers have somehow managed to be worse. Both Texas and Seattle lost yesterday as well, so they didn’t gain any ground on the Astros.
Even though it seems to be working, just hoping night after night that the Rangers and Mariners choke as badly as the Astros cannot be the roadmap to October. The Astros have lost 5 of their last 6 series, and unless they pick up tonight’s rubber game against the Yankees, it’s going to be 6 of the last 7. I know that today the standings show Houston atop the AL West, but you just cannot win division by losing series after series.
That’s especially true with how the rest of the Mariners’ schedule looks. The Mariners have 7 games against the A’s, 7 against the Angels and 3 against the Rockies. 17 of their remaining 28 games are against the 3 worst teams in MLB, the only 3 teams with win percentages under .400.
The Astros were also given a tour of Easy Street, but they blew it. The Angels were the worst team in baseball. Then the Astros let them take 2 of 3 against them, and the Angels passed the Athletics. Then the Athletics were the worst team in baseball, and the Astros played them immediately after the Angels, and lost 2 of 3. The Astros dropped 2 of 3 to the worst team in baseball 2 series in a row.
The Rangers schedule isn’t quite as easy as the Mariners, but they’re more than capable of doing better than winning 1 out of 6 series.
I have no delusions that the Astros deserve to be in the postseason. I don’t think the Rangers or Mariners deserve to be there either, but one of these three teams is going to raise a division banner, so let’s just try and win this ridiculously low priced auction. (It’s very possible the winning bid will be fewer than 80 wins.)
Astros @ Yankees Game Information and Gamethread Details
Hayden Wesneski takes on our old friend Gerrit Cole tonight. We know what Hunter Brown can be (even if he hasn’t consistently been that this year) and Peter Lambert turned in his usual 5 innings and change, 2 ER performance last night. The Astros are hoping Wesneski can be a 3rd… “reliable” may not be the right word, the Astros have set their sights much lower for the rotation now…. “viable” starter.
Wesneski had his best start of the season last time out against the A’s, pitching 5 innings of scoreless ball, allowing just 1 hit, 3 walks, and striking out 4. He now carries a 4.23 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over 5 starts. The Yankees are not the A’s though, so he has his work cut off for him.
Gerrit Cole got a late start to the season, returning from Tommy John surgery. H emade his 2026 debut at the end of May. Through 16 starts, he is 7-6 with a 3.11 ERA, 1.07 WHIP a 1.9 BB/9 and 9.7 K/9 so he hasn’t lost a step. His 4-seam fastball has touched 99.1 mph and averages 96.8 mph, which is even higher than the 96.7 mph he averaged in his Cy winning 2023 season.
The game will be broadcast at 6:05 p.m. CT on SCHN with radio coverage on KBME 790 AM.
This post will be updated with starting lineup as they are made available.
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I feel like the lack of effective pitchers in the rotation are the biggest obstacle to completing the season as the AL West champs. The Red Sox historic collapse in the 2011 season may be an example of what could happen. (That is the famous “fried chicken and beer” season,, when it was revealed that 3 veteran starting pitchers stayed in the clubhouse during games, eating KFC chicken, drinking beer, and playing video games.)
The Red Sox blew a 9 game lead over the course of a week and a half. The rotation was shattered by injuries and poor performance, with the inability to cover innings also causing a bullpen collapse. Minor league pitchers like Kyle Wieland were called up too early and allowed high ERAs. By the last few days of the season, holding a slender lead, the Red Sox didn’t have starting pitchers to throw into games. They scoured the waiver wires to put DFA’d pitchers into the next day’s start. I could see the Astros doing the same before this season is over.
Here is an idea (which much like throwing stuff at the wall to see what sticks). Would the Astros consider picking up Eugenio Suarez who was just put on outright waivers by the Reds. Given the late stage of the season, not a large amount of salary left to be paid. He hasn’t been great, but he does have tremendous power, and he is surely a better RH hitter off the bench than Velasquez. Put him at DH against LHP if necessary. Maybe he can field LF as well Velasquez in Daikin’s smaller LF. The Astros are at a point to try things and hope for lightning in a bottle.
For me is very simple. Let’s say we find a miracle short-term formula and we make the post-season. Then what? What did we accomplish? I am not looking for a lucky streak, I am looking for a sustained effort, plan, or strategy to win the way we did back when we were the F@#$&ing Astros.
Crane? He seems to be happy playing GM with Bagwell and Biggio, and selling beers and hotdogs.
I’ve resigned myself to the idea that if the Astros manage to win this division, even if they back into it, I’ll chalk this season up as a win. Yes there are many problems still long term, but I’ll still take the division banner and the ability to lord it over the rangers and mariners fans who didn’t get it. because i’m petty like that.
am i aiming low? yes. but that’s because we seem to be working with a water pistol, not a surface to air missile.
Brent Strom is back, boys and girls!
Retained as pitching advisor and will start immediately!
That’s great news on return of the Strom-man 💪 Save our season, Sir Brent !