Lopez leads Royals against the Astros after 4-hit performance
The Kansas City Royals play the Houston Astros after Nicky Lopez had four hits on Sunday in a 7-4 win over the TigersJULY 4, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON ASTROS 88-73 · 1ST IN AL WEST
88-73 · 1ST IN AL WEST
Alcantara could deliver first Cy Young Award for Marlins
Sandy Alcantara is pitching like a contender for the Cy Young AwardJULY 4, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mike Trout’s slump worsens, Astros K 20 to sweep Angels
Los Angeles Angels hitters fanned an MLB record-tying 20 times as the Houston Astros won 4-2 for a sweep.JULY 4, 2022
'I got sneaky': Maldonado's heads-up play crucial to win HOUSTON -- At first glance, what seemed like a simple single from the Halos’ Taylor Ward turned out to be a clever play by Houston catcher M...
JULY 4, 2022 • MLB.COM
Jeremy Peña - Powers Sunday's victory Pena went 4-for-5 with a two-run home run and a solo shot during Sunday's 4-2 win against the Angels.
Impact After flying out in his first at-bat, Pena got Houston on the board with a solo shot in the fourth inning, reached on singles in the fifth and seventh and crushed a walkoff two-run blast to center off Los Angeles reliever Ryan Tepera in the ninth. The 24-year-old had been slumping of late -- going 5-for-26 over his last six games -- but broke out in a big way with his first career four-hit game and his second and third homers since the start of June. The exceptional performance boosted Pena's line to .279/.328/.479 with 11 home runs, 33 runs and 30 RBI in 60 games.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Justin Verlander - Start pushed back to Thursday Verlander will start Thursday's game against the Royals, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact Jake Odorizzi (lower leg) will return from the 15-day injured list to start Monday's matchup against Kansas City, and the Astros plan to utilize a six-man rotation this week. Verlander has tossed 97.1 innings over 15 starts this season, and manager Dusty Baker said that the right-hander is being pushed back a few days to help manage his workload and preserve his long-term health.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Ryan Pressly - Registers second win Pressly earned the win during Sunday's 4-2 victory against the Angels, striking out the side in a perfect ninth inning.
Impact Pressly pitched the top of the ninth in a 2-2 tie and retired all three Angels via the strikeout, then became the victor when Houston walked it off in the bottom of the inning. The 33-year-old has spun four straight perfect appearances with eight total strikeouts in four innings following a disastrous outing against the Yankees on June 23. He's now converted 17 of his last 18 save chances since May 7.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Jake Odorizzi - Starting Monday Odorizzi (lower leg) will start Monday's game against the Royals, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact The Astros will utilize a six-man rotation this week with Odorizzi returning to action, while Justin Verlander will be pushed back to start Thursday to manage his workload. Odorizzi recently made a pair of rehab starts and posted a 2.25 ERA and 0.88 WHIP while striking out 10 in eight innings.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Angels equal strikeout record in loss to Astros HOUSTON — The Angels have been striking out all season, but they took it to a new level this weekend.
JULY 3, 2022 • CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM
Trout's slump worsens, Astros strike out 20 to sweep Angels
Angels star Mike Trout finished 0 for 11 with nine strikeouts in a three-game series and Los Angeles hitters fanned 20 times overall in a 4-2 loss to the Houston AstrosJULY 3, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Framber Valdez - Strikes out 13 in no-decision Valdez didn't factor into the decision during Sunday's 4-2 victory over the Angels, allowing two runs on three hits and five walks with 13 strikeouts.
Impact Valdez brought his strike-out stuff Sunday, though that led to control issues as the 13 strike outs and five walks were both season highs. AT one point, the 28-year-old retired 12 straight Angels via the strike out during an erratic span that also featured all five walks and both runs on his ledger. The impressive performance continues a string of 13 consecutive quality starts and Valdez now sits alone atop the MLB leaderboard with 14. He lines up to take the mound again next weekend on the road against Oakland.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Jake Meyers - Idle Sunday Meyers is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
Impact Though he'll give way to Mauricio Dubon in center field in the series finale, Meyers still looks to be locked in as a regular in the Houston outfield. In his eight games since returning June 24 from a season-opening stint on the 60-day injured list, Meyers has gone 8-for-29 (.276 average) with a home run, a double, six RBI and three runs.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Chas McCormick - Goes yard again McCormick went 2-for-4 with a solo home run Saturday against the Angels.
Impact McCormick drew his second consecutive start in left field, and he took advantage by slugging his eighth home run of the season. With Michael Brantley (shoulder) sidelined, McCormick has been battling with Aledmys Diaz for a regular spot in the lineup. McCormick has made the most of his recent opportunity, racking up four hits -- two of which were long balls -- across his last seven at-bats.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Alex Bregman - Takes seat Sunday Bregman is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
Impact Aledmys Diaz will get a turn at third base as Bregman sits. Bregman went 1-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's game, but he also struck out three times -- rare for the 28-year-old. It was his first three-strikeout game of the season.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Yordan Alvarez - Draws free pass in return Alvarez went 0-for-4 with a walk Saturday against the Angels.
Impact Alvarez returned to the lineup after missing two games due to a head injury. He hit third in the order for his third consecutive start, recently swapping spots in the order with Alex Bregman. Though he wasn't particularly productive Saturday, Alvarez has maintained a tremendous .311/.408/.647 line across 284 plate appearances on the season.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Jeremy Peña - Strikeouts piling up Pena went 1-for-5 with three strikeouts Saturday against the Angels.
Impact Pena started his second consecutive game after clearing concussion protocol Friday. He has gone only 1-for-10 in that span while striking out five times. Pena has also struck out at a 43.5 percent clip since returning from the injured list June 26, which has limited him just a .174 average with four runs scored across five games.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Astros host the Angels on home winning streak
The Houston Astros host the Los Angeles Angels looking to continue a six-game home winning streakJULY 3, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kyle Tucker - Slugs 16th homer Tucker went 2-for-4 with a home run, two total runs and two total RBI in Saturday's win against the Angels.
Impact Tucker put the Astros on the board in the first inning with a single, and he subsequently came around to score the team's third run. The outfielder then slugged a solo shot to right field in the seventh to give Houston an 8-1 lead. Tucker has been one of MLB's top power/speed threats this season -- he's the only player in the league to have at least 16 home runs and 14 thefts.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Martín Maldonado - Goes deep twice Saturday Maldonado went 2-for-3 with a pair of solo home runs in a 9-1 win over the Angels on Saturday.
Impact Houston knocked five homers in the victory, with Maldonado accounting for two of them. He took Patrick Sandoval deep to left in the second inning and tagged Andrew Wantz for a 429-foot shot to center in the sixth. This was the backstop's first multi-homer game of the campaign. He's struggled with the bat overall this season, slashing .153/.219/.307 with seven homers and 18 RBI over 194 plate appearances.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
Jose Altuve - Racks up three extra-base hits Altuve went 3-for-4 with a solo home run, two doubles, three total runs and a stolen base in Saturday's 9-1 victory against the Angels.
Impact Altuve was a big part of Houston's offense in the win, doubling and scoring in each of the first two innings before knocking a solo home run in the sixth. Of the second baseman's past nine hits, seven -- four doubles and three homers -- have gone for extra bases. Altuve has also been running more of late, tallying three thefts over his past six games. With six steals on the season, he has already surpassed the five he totaled in 2021.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
José Urquidy - Stifles Angels for seventh win Urquidy (7-3) earned the win over the Angels on Saturday, pitching six innings and allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out eight batters.
Impact Aside from a Taylor Ward solo home run in the third inning, Los Angeles was unable to put any runs on the board against the Houston hurler. Urquidy walked three but also racked up 17 swinging strikes and posted eight punchouts -- his most since May 22. The fourth-year pitcher has given up exactly one run in each of his past three contests, lowering his ERA to 4.15 on the campaign.
JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE
LEADING OFF: Trout's strikeout slump, deGrom's rehab start
Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout has struck out in seven straight at-bats during a tough series in HoustonJULY 3, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Maldy the stabilizing force behind Astros' success HOUSTON -- Let’s all take a moment and stop and appreciate the work of veteran Astros catcher Martín Maldonado. Everyone knows how invaluabl...
JULY 3, 2022 • MLB.COM
