HOUSTON ASTROS NEWS

Josh Hader - Secures save Friday Hader struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 3-0 win over the Mariners.

Impact Hader got through the middle of the Mariners' order on a tidy 11 pitches (seven strikes) to earn his 19th save of the campaign. This was his fourth straight scoreless outing, an improvement on a stretch in which he allowed a run in four of six appearances from June 25 to July 7. The closer is at a 3.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 68:12 K:BB through 43 innings this season.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Hader - Secures save Friday Hader struck out one in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 3-0 win over the Mariners.

Impact Hader got through the middle of the Mariners' order on a tidy 11 pitches (seven strikes) to earn his 19th save of the campaign. This was his fourth straight scoreless outing, an improvement on a stretch in which he allowed a run in four of six appearances from June 25 to July 7. The closer is at a 3.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 68:12 K:BB through 43 innings this season.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Hunter Brown - Throws six shutout innings Brown (8-6) allowed four hits and three walks while striking out five over six shutout innings to earn the win over the Mariners on Friday.

Impact Brown walked multiple batters for the fourth time in five starts, but his only loss in that span is the one time he walked just one. He's kept opponents off the board in five of his last eight outings and has record a quality start in 10 of his last 11 games. Brown's walk rate is about the only issue for him at this point in the year -- he has a 3.5 BB/9 overall, though it's down to 2.7 since May 22. The 25-year-old has added a 4.14 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 110:41 K:BB through 104.1 innings across 20 appearances (19 starts). Brown is projected to face the Athletics in a road start next week.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Hunter Brown - Throws six shutout innings Brown (8-6) allowed four hits and three walks while striking out five over six shutout innings to earn the win over the Mariners on Friday.

Impact Brown walked multiple batters for the fourth time in five starts, but his only loss in that span came the one time he issued a single free pass. He's kept opponents off the board in five of his last eight outings and has record a quality start in 10 of his last 11 trip to the mound. Brown's walk rate is about the only issue for him at this point -- he has a 3.5 BB/9 overall, though since May 22 he has a 2.7 mark. The 25-year-old has added a 4.14 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 110:41 K:BB through 104.1 innings across 20 appearances (19 starts). Brown is projected to face the Athletics in a road start next week.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Mariners shut out by Astros, fall into tie for AL West lead SEATTLE - For the first time since May 12, they no longer sit alone atop the American League West st...

JULY 20 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Astros defeat Mariners to move into AL West lead Hunter Brown pitched six scoreless innings as the Houston Astros moved into first place in the American League West with a 3-0 victory again...

JULY 20 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Astros sit atop AL West for first time this season SEATTLE -- Hunter Brown picked up where he left off before the All-Star break by throwing six scoreless innings, and Yainer Diaz had a two-r...

JULY 20 • MLB.COM

Astros complete climb and pull even in AL West race after beating Mariners 3-0

Hunter Brown worked around trouble while allowing four hits in six innings, Yainer Diaz delivered the big blow with a two-run single and the Houston Astros moved into a tie for fir...

JULY 20 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Mariners vs. Astros Prediction, Odds, Picks - July 20

Preview the July 20 matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros with odds over/under, game spread, betting lines and more.

JULY 20 • DATA SKRIVE

Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners Game Story, Scores/Highlights - 07/19/2024 This browser does not support the video element.

JULY 20 • MLB.COM

Lance McCullers - No structural damage in elbow McCullers said Friday that he has no structural damage in his right elbow/forearm, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact Although he isn't dealing with any structural damage, McCullers still has not resumed throwing after being shut down July 9. However, manager Joe Espada said the right-hander may be able to restart a throwing program within the next several days depending on how he feels. McCullers hasn't pitched in an MLB game since 2022 and still figures to be at least several weeks away from a return to the Astros.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Lance McCullers - No structural damage in elbow McCullers said Friday that he has no structural damage in his right elbow or forearm, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact Despite that assurance, McCullers still has not resumed throwing after being shut down July 9. However, manager Joe Espada said the right-hander may be able to restart a throwing program within the next several days depending on how he feels. McCullers hasn't pitched in an MLB game since 2022 and still figures to be at least several weeks away from a potential return to the Astros.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Luis Garcia - Throwing bullpen Saturday Garcia (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Saturday will mark Garcia's first time throwing off a mound since July 4, as the Astros opted to pull him off his rehab assignment following a rough outing in Double-A. He will likely need to throw a few additional mound sessions past Saturday before returning to the minor leagues, at which point he'll require multiple rehab starts as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Luis Garcia - Throwing bullpen Saturday Garcia (elbow) will throw a bullpen session Saturday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Impact Saturday will mark Garcia's first time throwing off a mound since July 4, as the Astros opted to pull him off his rehab assignment following a rough outing in Double-A. He will likely need to throw a few additional mound sessions before resuming his rehab stint, at which point he'll require multiple starts as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

JULY 20 • ROTOWIRE

Mauricio Dubón - Not in Friday's lineup Dubon isn't in the Astros' lineup for Friday's game against Seattle, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact After ending the first half of the season on an 0-for-10 streak, Dubon will take a seat for Houston's first game out of the All-Star break. While he rests, Joey Loperfido, Jake Meyers and Trey Cabbage will start across the Astros' outfield.

JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Victor Caratini - Rehab moved to Double-A Caratini (hip) will continue his minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact Caratini went 2-for-5 in two games with the Astros' Florida Complex League affiliate and has been transferred to Corpus Christi to continue his recovery process. The catcher has been shelved since June 21 and was initially given a 3-to-4 week timetable for return. Assuming he doesn't endure a setback, Caratini should be back before the end of July.

JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Victor Caratini - Rehab moved to Double-A Caratini (hip) will continue his minor-league rehab assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Impact Caratini went 2-for-5 in two games with the Astros' Florida Complex League affiliate. The catcher has been on the shelf since June 21 and was initially given a three-to-four week timetable for his return. Caratini is on track to rejoin the Astros before the end of July.

JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE

MLB playoff watch: X-factors for every contender

One player for each team whose contribution in the second half might determine his club's postseason fate.

JULY 19

Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners odds, picks and predictions The Houston Astros (50-46) and Seattle Mariners (52-46) open a 3-game set at T-Mobile Park Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. E...

JULY 19 • AZCENTRAL.COM

Penn Murfee - Throwing full bullpen sessions Murfee (elbow) resumed throwing bullpen sessions off a full mound June 21, MLB.com reports.

Impact Murfee had previously been limited to throwing off the slope of the mound, but he's since taken a step forward in his recovery last July's Tommy John surgery by tossing pitches atop the bump. He had been limited to throwing fastballs during his initial bullpen sessions, but it's possible he's been able to incorporate more breaking pitches in the month since being cleared for mound work. Murfee could be cleared to face hitters at some point shortly after the All-Star break and still has a chance at returning from the 60-day injured list later in the second half of the season.

JULY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Who's going to win the World Series? These six stats point to one team

While about two dozen teams are still in the playoff hunt, data from the past three decades points to one specific team winning the World Se...

JULY 19

Mariners look to stop losing streak in game against the Astros

The Seattle Mariners will try to break their three-game losing streak when they play the Houston Astros

JULY 19 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Luis Garcia - Will resume mound work soon Astros general manager Dana Brown said Thursday in an interview on the Sean Salisbury Show that Garcia (elbow) will resume throwing off the mound in a couple days, Michael Schwab o...

Impact Garcia had to be pulled off his rehab assignment after not bouncing back well from his last rehab start, but he was never shut down from throwing and is almost ready to try things from the bump again. The right-hander is making his way back from Tommy John surgery and, once he's cleared for rehab games again, will need several more starts before becoming an option for the Astros' rotation.

JULY 18 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Tucker - Still no timetable for return Astros general manager Dana Brown said in an interview Thursday on the Sean Salisbury Show that there remains no timetable for when Tucker (shin) will return, Michael Schwab of The...

Impact Brown added that Tucker is doing some slight on-field baseball activities and will definitely need a rehab assignment before being activated. It does not sound as if a return to the Astros' active roster will be happening anytime soon. Tucker has been sidelined since early June with a right shin contusion.

JULY 18 • ROTOWIRE

Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners Preview - 07/19/2024 This browser does not support the video element.

JULY 18 • MLB.COM