Good morning and welcome to the midweek Crawfish Boil.
Welcome to your Wednesday Boil.
I know it’s been kind of a trying stretch here, but it’s also important to notice the other two top AL West teams are also 4-6 in their last 10. Honestly, with 31 games to go, Houston will likely get in if they win at least 13 or so.
Houston Astros News
‘One pitch away’: Verlander regrets approach on pivotal offering
Astros’ Justin Verlander regrets mistake in loss to Phillies (ClutchPoints)
Houston Astros Closing in on Deal for Recently Released Los Angeles Dodgers OF (SI)
D-Backs-Astros Schedule Update (ESPN)
Houston Astros Slugger Takes Latest Sprint Toward Injury Rehab Assignment (SI)
Former prospect’s hot streak will cause Astros fans to double down on trade outrage (CTH — I think this is a bit of an overreaction, he’s predicting the thoughts of the fanbase — an OP-ED about supposed opinions)
AL West News
Athletics: Las Vegas Sets Date to Blow Up Tropicana Hotel So the Oakland A’s Can Build Their Ballpark There (SFist)
Seattle: Dan Wilson on the pitcher’s duel in Seattle
Arlington: White Sox take 4-game losing streak into matchup with the Rangers (Could the Rangers be about to go on a hot streak? My sources say yes)
Halos: ‘It got away from him’: Cueto can’t maintain early success vs. Tigers
MLB News
Why Mets’ Francisco Lindor could steal MVP from Shohei Ohtani (YB, also, lol)
10 unbelievable stats about White Sox’s historically awful 2024 season (YB)
Andrus Not Officially Retired But Not Pursuing Comeback (MLBTR)
Braves-Twins pitching matchup creates absurd MLB history (Larry Brown Sports)
Grunt work: Why are some pitchers so vocal on the mound? (til that Nolan Ryan only grunted on the fastball — so even though he had an audible tell, he still managed to strike out like nine-thousand guys)
Padres’ gritty at-bats set the tone: ‘Kind of who we are’
1st place! Royals match Guards atop Central and clinch tiebreaker
From 20 to 41, here is the best player at each age
‘I feel amazing’: Urías stays hot, homers to beat LA
‘Just showing my momma some love’: Swanson delivers perfect birthday gift
Big Christmas Comes Early and Airborne (FG)
What’s Next for the Cincinnati Reds? (FG)
Top of the Order: The Other Mike Baumann Continues His World Tour (FG)
Houston Astros Birthdays
3B Matt Dominguez (35) played in 340 games for Houston between 2012 and 2014, hitting .233/.274/.376.
RHP Will Harris (40) pitched 297 innings over 309 appearances for Houston from 2015 through 2019. He struck out 315, held a 0.987 WHIP, a 2.99 FIP, and posted 4.38 strikeouts per walk.