Valdez expected to start for Houston against Texas
The Astros are expected to send Framber Valdez to the mound Saturday and the Rangers plan to give Kyle Gibson the startJULY 24, 2021 • Associated Press
BRANDON BIELAK
Astros hand Rangers 10th straight loss with 7-3 victory
Kyle Tucker hit a three-run homer in Houston’s big third inning to help the Astros hand the Texas Rangers their 10th straight loss with a 7-3 victoryJULY 24, 2021 • Associated Press
Giolito tosses 3-hitter as White Sox pound Astros 10-1
Lucas Giolito pitched a three-hitter, José Abreu launched a three-run homer and the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 10-1JULY 18, 2021 • Associated Press
Hays homers to help Orioles to 5-2 win to sweep Astros
Austin Hays homered and Ryan Mountcastle drove in two runs to help the Baltimore Orioles wrap up a three-game sweep of the slumping Houston Astros with a 5-2 winJULY 1, 2021 • Associated Press
Tagged with loss Monday Bielak (2-3) allowed five earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out three across 1.1 innings, taking the loss Monday to the Orioles.
Impact Bielak retired the side in the eighth inning, but recorded just one out while allowing five runs to score in the ninth frame. He surrendered a two-run home run to Austin Hays. The 25-year-old has struggled as of late, giving up 10 runs over his last five appearances. He has a 6.21 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 29 innings.
JUNE 29, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Baltimore Orioles to visit the Houston Astros
Neither team has named a starter for Tuesday's gameJUNE 29, 2021 • Associated Press
Hays homers in 5-run 9th to lift Orioles over Astros 9-7
Austin Hays hit a tiebreaking two-run homer during Baltimore’s five-run ninth inning, helping the Orioles top the Houston Astros 9-7JUNE 29, 2021 • Associated Press
Astros take combined no-hitter into 8th, rout Orioles 10-2
Jake Odorizzi and the Houston bullpen took a bid for a combined no-hitter into the eighth inning, eventually settling for a 10-2 victory over the Baltimore Orioles that marked the...JUNE 22, 2021 • Associated Press
Franco's HR in 8th breaks up Houston's bid for no-hitter
Maikel Franco hit a two-run homer with one out in the eighth inning, denying the Houston Astros in their attempt to throw a combined no-hitter at BaltimoreJUNE 22, 2021 • Associated Press
Red Sox beat Astros 12-8, avoid sweep as Martinez homers
JJUNE 11, 2021 • Associated Press
Called up to big club The Astros recalled Bielak from Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.
Impact Bielak joins the Houston bullpen as a replacement for Joe Smith (elbow), who was placed on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. The 25-year-old right-hander previously made 13 relief appearances for Houston, posting a 3.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 17:8 K:BB in 22.2 innings.
JUNE 9, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Sent to Triple-A Bielak was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact The 25-year-old allowed four unearned runs over the past two days and will head to the minors in favor of a fresh arm. Bielak has a 3.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 17:8 K:BB across 22.2 innings for Houston this season.
MAY 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Padres score 7 in 11th, beat Astros 10-3; SD now 7-0 vs AL
Fernando Tatis Jr. and Tommy Pham both homered, then helped out with an RBI each in a seven-run 11th inning that sent the San Diego Padres over the Houston Astros 10-3MAY 29, 2021 • Associated Press
Logs relief win Bielak (2-2) was credited with the win in relief Wednesday, when he allowed one run on two hits and one walk while striking out two against the Angels.
Impact Bielak entered during the fourth inning with Houston leading 3-0 after starter Jose Urquidy departed with "posterior shoulder discomfort." The reliever retired 10 of the first 11 Angels faced and threw 41 strikes among his 53 pitches. Urquidy, who was sharper Wednesday than in any of his seven preceding starts, is day-to-day and has not been ruled out for his next start scheduled for Tuesday in Oakland.
MAY 13, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Astros slug season-high 5 homers to rout Angels 9-1
José Altuve and Yuli Gurriel homered early as the Houston Astros hit a season-high five long balls in a 9-1 win over the Los Angeles AngelsMAY 13, 2021 • Associated Press
Absorbs loss Tuesday Bielak (1-1) was tagged with the loss Tuesday, giving up two runs on two hits and one walk while striking out one in a 7-3 loss to the Yankees.
Impact Bielak, who entered after starter Zack Greinke lasted just four innings, pitched a scoreless fifth before departing with two on and two out in the sixth. Bryan Abreu came in and walked the nine-hole hitter before an Alex Bregman throwing error cleared the bases. Bielak, a starter turned reliever, has thrown more than one inning in five of his six outings and has a 4.30 ERA over 14.2 innings.
MAY 5, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Yankees, streaking Stanton set for matchup against Astros
Stanton takes a 10-game hit streak into matchup with AstrosMAY 5, 2021 • Associated Press
Salty fans, hot Yankees greet Astros in return to Bronx
Boos and bad words streamed loudly from the seats in the Houston Astros’ return to Yankee Stadium, and New York got a homer and four hits from Giancarlo Stanton to sate those spite...MAY 5, 2021 • Associated Press
Makes multi-inning appearance Bielak allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out two over two innings in Wednesday's 6-3 loss to the Rockies.
Impact This was the third multi-inning outing in four appearances for Bielak. He's been part of a bullpen that's been overworked of late, as Astros starters not named Zack Grienke haven't been getting deep into games. In four appearances, Bielak has a 3.60 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 10 innings.
APRIL 22, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Gomber lifts Rockies 6-3, Astros' 9th loss in 10 games
Austin Gomber got his first victory for the Colorado Rockies, allowing two hits over six innings to beat the Astros 6-3 on a wintry afternoon and send Houston to its ninth loss in...APRIL 21, 2021 • Associated Press
Dominant in long-relief outing Bielak (1-0) earned the win Sunday against Oakland, striking out four in 4.2 innings of relief without allowing a single baserunner.
Impact It's rare that the reliever who picks up a win after a starter fails to throw five innings truly deserves the honor, but this is not one of those cases. Bielak's innings weren't particularly stressful, as he entered with a four-run lead in the bottom of the fifth and saw that extended to seven runs in the top of the sixth, but he couldn't have handled his assignment much more impressively. Bielak isn't the sort of pitcher who would be expected to retire 14 straight batters, as he struggled to a 6.75 ERA and 1.75 WHIP in his 32-inning debut last season, but it's possible his outing signals the start of something new.
APRIL 5, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Astros batter A's 9-2 to complete four-game sweep
Jason Castro homered in his first start back with Houston, and the Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 9-2 on Sunday to complete a four-game sweepAPRIL 4, 2021 • Associated Press
Slated to take on bullpen role Bielak will serve as a reliever to begin the regular season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact Bielak was in the mix to start the Astros' fifth game of the regular season Monday, but manager Dusty Baker said Wednesday that Luis Garcia will serve as the team's fifth starter while Jake Odorizzi (conditioning) is unavailable. Bielak should take on a multi-inning role out of the bullpen this season. The right-hander made five appearances (two starts) this spring and posted a 4.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 16 innings.
MARCH 31, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
In mix for No. 5 starter Bielak or Luis Garcia will start the fifth game of the regular season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact Bielak, who's been a fill-in starter for the Astros during spring training, will have a multi-inning role to start the regular season. It's just comes down to whether that will be as a starter or out of the bullpen. The No. 5 starter job will eventually belong to Jake Odorizzi once he's built up innings and pitch count. Until then, Bielak or Garcia will serve in that role and whichever one doesn't start will be part of the bullpen.
MARCH 28, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Astros roster projection 3.0: The bench, Luis Garcia versus Brandon Bielak and the final bullpen spots In his third and final projection before Opening Day, beat writer Jake Kaplan outlines how he believes the roster decisions will play out.
MARCH 26, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM
