HOUSTON ASTROS NEWS

Alex Bregman - Launches two-run homer Bregman went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Saturday's win over the Athletics.

Impact Bregman kicked off the scoring in Saturday's game with a two-run shot that scored Yordan Alvarez. It was Bregman's 15th of the season and his second this month. The homer was his only hit in the game, but it extended his hit streak to five games. The third baseman has only one game this month without a hit and has just three strikeouts in August, resulting in a .389 batting average for the month. Since Aug. 2, Bregman has improved his season batting average from .243 to .256.

AUGUST 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Athletics head into matchup against the Astros on losing streak

The Oakland Athletics enter the matchup against the Houston Astros as losers of seven in a row

AUGUST 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

McCullers goes 6 shutout innings in return, Astros down A's

Lance McCullers Jr. pitched six shutout innings in his season debut, Alex Bregman homered and Trey Mancini had three hits as the Houston Astros beat the Oakland Athletics 8-0

AUGUST 14, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jake Meyers - Sits again Saturday Meyers will not start Saturday's game against Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Meyers had been serving as the Astros' primary center fielder, but he's now been on the bench for two consecutive games and for three of the last four contests. His .218/.260/.328 slash line in 37 games this season doesn't make a very good case that he should be an everyday regular for a team with World Series aspirations. Chas McCormick will be the center fielder Saturday.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Aledmys Díaz - Out of lineup Diaz will sit Saturday against Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Diaz should continue to play frequently in left field down the stretch after Michael Brantley underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. Trey Mancini will occupy that spot Saturday.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Christian Vázquez - Not in starting nine Vazquez will sit Saturday against Oakland, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Vazquez doesn't appear to have claimed the starting catcher job just yet after moving to Houston at the deadline, as he's now been on the bench for three of the last four games. Martin Maldonado will make another start behind the plate Saturday.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Michael Brantley - Transferred to 60-day IL Brantley (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday.

Impact Brantley's move to the 60-day IL is simply procedural since the outfielder recently underwent a season-ending arthroscopic labral repair on his right shoulder. Whether he'll be able to return to the field in time for spring training in 2023 isn't yet clear.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Seth Martinez - Optioned to Triple-A Martinez was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday.

Impact Martinez was productive over the first half of the season but has had inconsistent results over the last month. The right-hander posted a 7.27 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in 8.2 innings over his last seven appearances and will head to the minors as part of a move to make room for Lance McCullers on the active roster.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Lance McCullers Jr. - Officially reinstated from IL McCullers (forearm) was reinstated from the 60-day injured list Saturday.

Impact McCullers suffered a setback in his recovery from a flexor tendon strain during the offseason but will make his 2022 debut as the starter during Saturday's game against the Athletics. The right-hander made four starts during his recent rehab assignment and tossed 86 pitches over five innings during his most recent outing, so he's unlikely to face any significant restrictions Saturday.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Ryan Pressly - Dealing with neck stiffness Pressly wasn't available to pitch Friday against Oakland due to a stiff neck, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact Pressly struck out five in two scoreless innings over two relief appearances Tuesday and Wednesday, but he's now dealing with a neck injury. It's not yet clear whether he'll be available for Saturday's matchup, but Hector Neris picked up the save in Pressly's absence Friday, and the team also has Rafael Montero and Will Smith available to fill in as closing options if needed.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Jeremy Peña - Doubles, steals seventh base Pena went 3-for-4 with an RBI double, a run scored and a stolen base in a 7-5 win over the Athletics on Friday.

Impact Pena had a good night at the plate, belting his 13th double as part of a three-hit effort. He also stole his seventh base before coming in to score his 46th run of the season. Perhaps the performance will mark the end of a particularly cold stretch of play. The rookie shortstop is slashing a paltry .220/.220/.268 in 41 at-bats in August.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Tucker - Hits grand slam Tucker went 2-for-4 with a grand slam in a 7-5 win over the Athletics on Friday.

Impact Tucker powered his team to victory on the back of his third career grand slam. The four-RBI blast gives him 74 on the season to go along with 21 home runs. Tucker has been scorching hot over the past week, with seven hits in his last 16 at-bats. He is slashing .438/.500/.875 over that brief stretch.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Héctor Neris - Picks up second save Neris pitched a perfect ninth inning with one strikeout to earn the save in a 7-3 victory over the Athletics.

Impact With Ryan Pressly unavailable to pitch due to a stiff neck, Dusty Baker turned to Neris to close the door in the ninth. Neris only needed seven pitches to retire the side and pick up his second save of the season. Neris has put together five scoreless appearances in a row to lower his ERA to 3.33 and his WHIP to an excellent 0.89. It is worth monitoring the health of Ryan Pressly to see if Neris could combine with Rafael Montero to pick up any further saves while the usual closer is sidelined.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Luis Garcia - Tagged for four in win Garcia (9-8) gave up four earned runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out six over six plus innings to be awarded the win in a 7-5 victory over the Athletics on Friday.

Impact Garcia came into the game coming off three straight losses, but he did enough against the Athletics to regain his winning record. One of the four earned runs he surrendered came on a balk with the bases loaded. Garcia had spontaneously modified his elaborate windup and was called for the violation by the third base umpire. He was also responsible for two more runs which came in to score after he was pulled at 97 pitches with two runners on and nobody out in the seventh. Garcia has an ERA of 5.16 over his past five starts. The 25-year-old right-hander will look to right the ship in his next expected outing at the White Sox.

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Athletics head into matchup with the Astros on losing streak

The Oakland Athletics head into the matchup against the Houston Astros as losers of six in a row

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tucker's slam highlights 6-run fifth inning, Astros beat A's

Kyle Tucker hit a grand slam in the fifth inning to rally the Houston Astros to a 7-5 win over the Oakland Athletics

AUGUST 13, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Houston Astros vs Oakland Athletics Box Score - August 13, 2022 - The Athletic Get real-time MLB coverage and scores as the Houston Astros take on the Oakland Athletics at 12:10am UTC on August 13, 2022. The Athletic brings you the latest stats, scores, and a...

AUGUST 13, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Astros OF Brantley shelved by season-ending shoulder surgery

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley will miss the rest of the season after having surgery on his right shoulder

AUGUST 12, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Astros' Brantley out after season-ending shoulder surgery

Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley, a five-time All-Star, is out with season-ending shoulder surgery.

AUGUST 12, 2022

Jake Meyers - Absent from Friday's lineup Meyers isn't starting Friday against the Athletics.

Impact Meyers went 1-for-4 with a run during Thursday's series finale against Texas and is out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games. Mauricio Dubon will start in center field and bat ninth.

AUGUST 12, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Brantley has season-ending surgery on shoulder Astros outfielder Michael Brantley underwent an arthroscopic labral repair on his right shoulder, the club announced on Friday. As a result...

AUGUST 12, 2022 • MLB.COM

Michael Brantley - Undergoes season-ending surgery Brantley underwent an arthroscopic labral repair on his right shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season.

Impact Brantley has been sidelined with his shoulder injury since late June and received a second medical opinion on his shoulder Wednesday. He'll be unable to return this year following his procedure, and it's not yet clear whether he's expected to return in time for spring training in 2023. He appeared in 64 games this season and slashed .288/.370/.416 with five homers, 28 runs, 26 RBI and a stolen base.

AUGUST 12, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Martín Maldonado - Slugs three-run homer Maldonado went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run Thursday against the Rangers.

Impact Maldonado slugged a three-run homer in the second inning to open the scoring for Houston. He now has 12 homers on the season, four of which have come in his last 18 games. Despite Houston's acquisition of Christain Vazquez, Maldonado has started seven out of the 10 games since the trade deadline. Despite his relatively strong stretch recently, Maldonado is still hitting only .187/.252/.370 across 285 plate appearances on the season.

AUGUST 12, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Yuli Gurriel - Tallies three hits, scores twice Gurriel went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored Thursday against the Rangers.

Impact Gurriel struggled across his last six games entering Thursday by tallying only one hit across his previous 21 at-bats. He ended that skid with singles to lead off both the fifth and seventh innings and came around to score on both occasions. Across 403 plate appearances this season, Gurriel is hitting .240 with seven home runs, 31 RBI, and 39 runs scored.

AUGUST 12, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Caught Looking: From Alex Bregman's liners to Alex Wood's breathing to Nico Hoerner's thump A surprising thing happens when pitchers reach the 80-pitch mark in a game.

AUGUST 12, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM