WEEK IN REVIEW – MAY 28 – JUNE 3
ASTROS (3-4, 37-24 overall)
Monday, May 28 – Astros 5, Yankees 1
Tuesday, May 29 – Yankees 6, Astros 5
Wednesday, May 30 – Yankees 5, Astros 3
Thursday, May 31 – Astros 4, Red Sox 2
Friday, June 1 – Astros 7, Red Sox 3
Saturday, June 2 – Red Sox 5, Astros 4
Sunday, June 3 – Red Sox 9, Astros 3
We knew the honeymoon with the team’s ERA would end at some point, and it took eleven straight games against some of baseball’s best offenses (Indians, Yankees, Red Sox) for it to happen. The team’s ERA is up to 2.81, still best in the AL by a long shot but with a much lesser lead over the next seven NL teams. Morton turned in his worst start of the season against the Sox. The bullpen got pantsed a couple of times. And yet, the Astros pretty much broke even against the AL’s two best teams, which means the AL’s two best teams broke even against the Astros. As painful as the bullpen gagging was, I’ll still take it.
THE WEEK AHEAD – JUNE 4-10
Mariners @ Astros – June 5-6
Season series: 3-1 Astros
Exactly how is it that the Astros will play 19 games against the Mariners this year, but only six of them will be before the All-Star break? Thanks, Gerry.
Schedule and Probables
Tuesday, June 5, 7:10pm CDT
James Paxton (4-1, 3.13) vs. Dallas Keuchel (3-7, 3.65)
Wednesday, June 6, 7:10pm CDT
Wade LeBlanc (1-0, 2.60) vs. Lance McCullers Jr. (7-3, 3.89)
In case you have concerns about the Mariners hanging with the Astros, consider this: the Astros are just now about to wrap up a tough string of games against good teams, while the Mariners have played precisely three games against teams over .500 since May 6. Credit them for going 18-8 in that stretch. But the script is about to flip, as the Astros are due a bit of a reprieve while the Mariners have ten straight games against Boston and New York later this month.
Paxton had a good month of May with a 1.67 ERA, and took home a win against the Astros in April with a quality start. LeBlanc was moved to the M’s rotation in May and has allowed a .577 OPS, but he’s also had the benefit of starting nearly all of his games against some less-than-good teams (Rangers, Twins x 2, Tigers, and Blue Jays). The Astros also lit him up for four runs in two relief innings in April. Keuchel was on the losing end of that Paxton start despite eight great innings, and McCullers held the Mariners to just one hit over seven innings in the same series.
Astros @ Rangers – June 7-10
Season series: 6-4 Astros
Schedule and Probables
Thursday, June 7, 7:05pm CDT
Gerrit Cole (6-1, 2.20) vs. Cole Hamels (3-5, 3.63)
Friday, June 8, 7:05pm CDT
Justin Verlander (7-2, 1.24) vs. Doug Fister (1-6, 4.13)
Saturday, June 9, 6:15pm CDT
Charlie Morton (7-1, 2.84) vs. Mike Minor (4-4, 5.76)
Sunday, June 10, 2:05pm CDT
Dallas Keuchel (3-7, 3.65) vs. Matt Moore (1-5, 7.85)
The Astros pitchers listed above have a 1.65 ERA against Arlington this season.
Fuck the Rangers.