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New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Astros mailbag: The catching situation, Jacob Melton's role and Miguel Ullola's arrival
HOUSTON — Hello, Astros fans. The American League West is earning its distinction as a mediocre division. The Athletics are miserable in a minor-league ballpark. The Texas Rangers have yet to reap the rewards of hiring a podcast host as their hitting coach. The Seattle Mariners have managed to lose eight of their past 11 games against teams including the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Angels. Advertisement As a result, the Astros have opened a 2 1/2-game lead after playing their most consistent stretch of baseball all season. Houston's pitching continues to excel, pairing with wonderful defense and aggressive, opportune base running to keep the team afloat in Yordan Alvarez's absence. Alvarez returning at full health is the biggest boost this ballclub could get, but general manager Dana Brown will still scour the trade market for another left-handed bat in addition to a starting pitcher and, perhaps, a leverage reliever. It is crazy to think Houston has enough prospect capital to complete all three tasks, prompting questions of what the club is prioritizing — or whether it is comfortable trading from its major-league roster. Seven weeks remain to answer those questions. Here are a few others that have you curious. Note: Submitted questions have been edited for clarity and length. Might there be any momentum building toward starting Victor Caratini over Yainer (Diaz)? As a switch hitter, (Caratini) addresses one of the lineup's more glaring weaknesses. He also has a better record at the plate than Yainer, who is supposed to be a bat-first catcher in his own right. — Ryan F. Diaz has been a disappointment, Ryan, but the Astros aren't yet prepared to make such a drastic decision. That Diaz has caught almost all of the innings thrown by Houston's co-aces can't be overlooked. Nor can the relatively low workload Caratini has logged throughout his nine-year career. According to FanGraphs, Diaz entered Sunday's game worth minus-0.1 wins above replacement. Only 13 other qualified American League hitters were worse, including Diaz's teammate Christian Walker. Diaz is the definition of a bat-first catcher, but boasts a .657 OPS after 215 at-bats. Defensively, Diaz's blocking numbers are worse than last season, and his pitch framing — never a strong suit in the first place — is still lacking. Advertisement Still, Diaz has caught every one of Hunter Brown's starts and all but one of Framber Valdez's. Pitcher preference is paramount, and it's difficult to envision manager Joe Espada breaking up those batteries. Ditto for Caratini and Lance McCullers Jr., a pairing Espada envisioned before McCullers' return. Caratini, 31, has caught more than 500 innings just twice as a major leaguer. He finished both of those seasons — 2021 and 2022 — with a 79 OPS+. He entered Sunday with 191 1/3 innings caught and a 102 OPS+. There is some worry about keeping Caratini healthy, which gives team officials pause on increasing his catching workload. The aforementioned offensive numbers speak for themselves, too. Adding left-handed hitting outfielder Jacob Melton has reduced the need to play Caratini every day just for balance. Alvarez's return will further eliminate the need, but Houston does want to keep Caratini involved. He is Espada's best pinch hit option late in games, too. Is it likely that we re-sign Framber (Valdez)? What would be a realistic contract? — John P. It is not likely, John. Valdez's price tag has climbed considerably during his past six starts, a stretch in which he's posted a 1.84 ERA and struck out 47 hitters across 44 innings. Valdez and his representatives at Octagon will likely use Max Fried's eight-year, $218 million contract with the New York Yankees as a framework for free-agent discussions. Fried is two months younger than Valdez, but the two southpaws have strikingly similar numbers in their careers. During spring training, Valdez said the Astros had not approached him or his representatives about a potential extension. Even if they had, nothing in owner Jim Crane's past suggested he would make the sort of offer that Valdez would seriously consider. Crane has never guaranteed a starting pitcher more than $85 million. Closer Josh Hader's five-year, $95 million contract remains the largest free-agent deal during his ownership tenure. It feels far-fetched that he would exceed either number to the extent Valdez will require. Advertisement Why do you think the Astros are last in the league in scoring first-inning runs? With the way it seems that they always go down in order to start games, are they not mentally prepared? — Michael S. Few fans will want to hear it, Michael, but it may just be one of those baseball oddities. Most nights, Houston is guaranteed to send an American League MVP candidate in Jeremy Peña, its leading home run hitter in Isaac Paredes and the face of its franchise in Jose Altuve up to bat in the first inning — an enviable setup the club fails to exploit. The Astros are the only team in baseball with fewer than 20 first-inning runs, but their problem is more far-reaching than just the first frame. Houston entered Sunday slashing .232/.290/.328 with a .618 OPS during its first look at a starting pitcher. No team in the sport has a lower slugging percentage in those situations. Only the hapless Colorado Rockies have a lower OPS. The Astros' lineup's OPS jumps from .618 to .722 when seeing a starter the second time. Paredes has a .508 OPS in his first look at a starter and a .939 mark during his second. Altuve's numbers are almost identical — .562 in his first look and .800 during his second. That the struggling Walker hits behind them in the batting order only exacerbates the problem. Blaming Paredes and Altuve alone for an entire team's struggles the first time through is foolish, but both men are here to help carry a top-heavy offense. Improving in their first at-bats can make that easier. Has the fact that (Miguel) Ullola hasn't been mentioned by (general manager Dana) Brown previously mean he's unlikely to get the call-up anytime soon? — Ryan C. I'd recommend listening to Brown's regular Sunday appearance on the team's pregame radio show, Ryan. During last week's discussion, Brown mentioned he and Espada 'just had a nice discussion about (Ullola) downstairs.' That the conversation happened at all indicates Ullola is on the major-league radar. Ullola has struck out 52 batters across his first 38 innings at Triple-A Sugar Land and claimed Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month honors in May, a month he finished with a 1.17 ERA in 23 innings. Command remains an issue for Ullola, who has thrown just 58 percent of his pitches for strikes and is walking 5.8 batters per nine innings, but he is missing enough bats to warrant a serious look from the major-league team. Advertisement Following Monday's off day, Houston faces a stretch of 19 games in 20 days. Going to a six-man rotation for some of it seems sensible. Two spots in it are not secured, though Brandon Walter may have earned one Sunday after holding the Cleveland Guardians to two runs across six innings. Ullola's fate could be tied to that of Ryan Gusto, who has failed to finish five innings in six of his last eight starts. Gusto has a 5.60 ERA across his past 10 appearances, eight of which are starts. After Gusto's last one — a 4 1/3-inning slog against a putrid Pittsburgh Pirates lineup — Espada did not sound like someone prepared to pull him from the rotation. Gusto is listed as the team's probable starter Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, a lineup with listlessness on par with Pittsburgh. If Gusto authors a similar result, a difficult conversation may ensue — especially if Ullola continues to make his case for a call-up. One bright red flag I see with this year's team is the failure to control the opponents' running game. Do you see this improving anytime soon? And does the problem lie with the catchers? Slow pickoff moves? Inexperience in the rotation? Or all of the above? — Neeraj J. Only the Miami Marlins and Athletics entered Sunday allowing stolen bases at a higher clip than the Astros, Neeraj. Houston and Miami are the only two teams to surrender at least 70 stolen bases. It's a problem — a holistic one harped on by Houston's coaching staff since spring training. No part of the Astros' battery is absolved from blame. According to Baseball Savant, Houston's pitching staff is worth a minus-13 net bases prevented and entered Sunday allowing 56 extra bases gained by either steals or balks. Again, only the Marlins have worse numbers. Opponents have attempted 54 stolen bases against Diaz and 30 against Caratini. Diaz's average exchange and pop times have decreased from last season, while the average velocity on his throws is down from 84.3 mph last season to 83.6 mph during this one. Advertisement Still, Diaz managed to throw out eight base stealers. Caratini has only caught three. On average, runners are 54.1 feet away from second base when Diaz receives the baseball and 53.5 feet away against Caratini. League average is 56 feet, accentuating a fact that's hard to argue: Astros pitchers are giving their catchers little chance to throw anyone out. Introducing slide steps, holding the baseball longer before delivering it or varying times to home plate can help. Houston's pitching staff is incorporating all of it in hopes of turning around this troubling trend. What's the chance Jacob Melton is (given) the same opportunities they have (given) Cam Smith? — Shannon E. Production precipitates playing time, Shannon, so Melton is in control of his destiny. He is a left-handed hitter who represents what this club lacks — and what it could be in the market for during the trade deadline. Perhaps Melton will make that pursuit moot. As long as Alvarez remains on the injured list, a path to regular at-bats exists for Melton at any of the three outfield spots or as the team's designated hitter. The team must be mindful of Melton's recovery from a groin injury, though, which limited him to playing four days a week at Triple-A Sugar Land before his promotion. Melton has started six of his first seven games as a big leaguer. He has demonstrated dazzling defense and an ability to prolong at-bats, but is still 3-for-20 with eight strikeouts. While Alvarez, Chas McCormick and Zach Dezenzo are out, though, a runway exists for the major-league staff to see whether Melton can be a contributor. If he proves capable, it could open a new avenue for Brown to explore at the trade deadline — perhaps using McCormick, Dezenzo or starting center fielder Jake Meyers as chips in trade talks with Melton waiting in the wings to replace them. (Top photo of Victor Caratini and Yainer Diaz: Nick Cammett / Getty Images)
New York Times
30-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Yordan Alvarez's expected return to Astros' lineup prompts questions
HOUSTON — Hitting a backup catcher cleanup often comes amid catastrophe. Yet, on Thursday night, Victor Caratini took the duty for one of baseball's hottest offenses. No American League lineup awoke with a higher batting average, on-base percentage or weighted runs created plus in May than the Houston Astros. Advertisement That manager Joe Espada chose Caratini is no coincidence. Caratini brings balance to a roster that needs it and experience that few of the other cleanup candidates can match. Chances for Caratini can be few and far between. Such is the life of someone in his occupation, whose importance intensifies on days like Thursday. Yordan Alvarez remained on the injured list, and first baseman Christian Walker required a night off after being struck by a pitch on his right hand during Wednesday's game. That Caratini bypassed both Zach Dezenzo and Mauricio Dubón to start at first base in Walker's stead signaled how high he's ascended within the Astros' 26-man hierarchy. Yainer Diaz's difficult start to the season has almost forced it. So has an imbalanced roster that makes a switch hitting Caratini the only non-right-handed hitter Houston has any interest in playing. Another is nearing a return, perhaps by this weekend, prompting a plethora of questions. Whether Alvarez can play pain-free is foremost among them. Where he will hit within a surging batting order is another, but Espada tipped his hand Thursday. Since April 28, the day Jose Altuve asked to move out of the leadoff spot in favor of Jeremy Peña, only two American League lineups are extracting a higher OPS from the top three spots in their batting order than the Astros. Isaac Paredes, the team's three-hole hitter, paces Houston in every offensive category aside from batting average — which Peña leads. 'We started to pick up some steam and I'm really pleased where we're at overall, creating some opportunities for those guys in the middle to drive some people in,' Espada said Thursday. 'I do like that 1-2-3 punch. I might stay there, but we have to see once we get all those guys in there and see how everything flows, but right now, my plan is to keep it as is.' Advertisement The desire to get Caratini more consistent at-bats also becomes complicated, but it's a dilemma the club would love to confront. His offensive exploits have exceeded both internal and external expectations since signing a two-year deal last winter. Caratini entered Thursday with a .754 OPS across his Astros tenure, 80 points higher than what he posted during the seven seasons that preceded it. This season, only Peña and Paredes have a higher OPS among qualified Astros. Caratini has started 18 of Houston's 26 games in May. Espada had hit him fifth in six of his past nine starts before penciling him into the cleanup spot Thursday. Walker's absence forced Espada to do so, but that he batted him fifth so frequently before that didn't come out of sheer desperation. 'If for whatever reason a lefty comes into the game, I feel really good about his at-bats from the right side,' Espada said, perhaps hinting at the flawed roster he's been handed. Adding Alvarez atop the lineup — perhaps in the cleanup spot as Espada suggested — should serve the same purpose. That Alvarez has a higher career OPS against left-handed pitching may negate it. Opposing managers could live with Alvarez taking one plate appearance against a right-handed reliever if it meant those sandwiched around him — primarily Walker or Paredes — also face righties. Both Paredes and Walker have a career OPS over .780 against left-handed pitching. Last season, the presence of left-handed hitter Kyle Tucker near Alvarez in Houston's batting order erased that thought. Espada won't be pinch hitting for Walker or Paredes, either, somewhat minimizing Caratini's role if he returns to being a true backup catcher and playing sparingly. It would behoove Espada and the Astros to create more ways to utilize Caratini, especially if general manager Dana Brown can't find an external left-handed bat. Alvarez and Altuve will assume most of the designated hitter duties, but giving Walker an occasional day there could allow Caratini to play first base as he did Thursday. Advertisement Decreasing Diaz's playing time at catcher is perhaps the most drastic measure, one the organization isn't yet prepared to take, but must at least be in consideration. Only 16 qualified players entered Thursday with fewer wins above replacement than Diaz, according to FanGraphs. Diaz defines the term 'bat-first catcher,' but has posted just a .627 OPS across his first 189 plate appearances. Creating a more even playing time split could be prudent, but the club must be mindful of Caratini's health as a 31-year-old who has only twice caught more than 500 innings in a season. An answer may arrive in the corresponding roster move whenever Alvarez is activated. Optioning César Salazar to Triple-A Sugar Land will make it more difficult — but not impossible — for Espada to play both Caratini and Diaz in the same lineup. Demoting Chas McCormick or Dezenzo and keeping Salazar may offer insight into the club's plans. The exact time of that decision is unknown, fitting for Alvarez's ambiguous 26-day saga on the injured list. Thursday afternoon brought tangible progress that could precipitate an imminent activation. Alvarez took batting practice on the field Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to face minor-league pitchers in a simulated game at Daikin Park on Friday. Espada said the setup is in lieu of a minor-league rehab assignment. Through an interpreter, Alvarez said 'if everything goes well' against live pitching, he could return 'after that.' Whether Alvarez can swing pain-free for the rest of the season remains a mystery. Asked on Thursday whether he felt anything while hitting batting practice, Alvarez replied: 'That's a good question. I'm prognosticating tomorrow to hit against the pitchers, so if you see me tomorrow, it went well today.' 'We don't want to deal with this the rest of the season. Obviously this is something that's delicate,' Alvarez added. 'I could've returned before, but as soon as we saw the hand — how it reacted because of the inflammation — that's why it's been a little bit more time than I anticipated it to be.'
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Astros rally in 7th inning to defeat Athletics 5-3
Zach Dezenzo homered and Victor Caratini drove in two runs in the seventh inning to help the Houston Astros rally for a 5-3 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday. The Athletics led by 1 when rookie Justin Sterner (1-1) took over for Luis Severino to start the seventh. Dezenzo sent his fourth pitch 416 feet to center field for his second homer this season to tie it at 3-all. There were runners on second and third with two outs in the inning when Caratini lined a single to center field to score both. Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. allowed five hits and three runs in a season-long six innings in his fifth start after missing more than two seasons with injuries. Shawn Dubin (2-0) struck out two in a scoreless seventh for the win and Josh Hader converted his 14th save in 14 opportunities with a scoreless ninth. Jacob Wilson homered with two RBIs for the Athletics, who fell to 3-17 in their last 20 games. Severino yielded three hits and two runs — one earned — in six innings. He struck out four to give him 1,003 strikeouts in his career, making him the 48th active player to reach 1,000 strikeouts. Christian Walker was hit on the hand with a pitch to start Houston's fourth. He left in the bottom of the sixth because of the hit. Manager Joe Espada said Walker was hit on the top of his hand near his knuckles and X-rays were negative. Key moment The Astros jumping on Sterner in the seventh to take the lead after Severino's strong start kept them in check through six. Key stat McCullers struck out 12 to tie a career high he last reached in 2018. Up next LHP Jacob Lopez (0-2, 2.57 ERA) will start for the Athletics on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Toronto. The Astros open a four-game series against Tampa Bay on Thursday night with RHP Ryan Gusto (3-2, 4.58) on the mound against RHP Shane Baz (4-3, 4.94).
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Astros rally in 7th inning to defeat Athletics 5-3
Athletics' Luis Urias, left, slides into home safely against Houston Astros catcher Victor Caratini (17), Urias scored the run on Jacob Wilson's RBI double during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) makes the throw to first base as Athletics' Brent Rooker grounds out during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Athletics' Jacob Wilson reacts while running the bases after his home run against Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Houston Astros' Zach Dezenzo (9) celebrates his home run with Yainer Diaz (21), which tied up the game against the Athletics, during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Houston Astros' Victor Caratini (17) hits a two-run single against Athletics relief pitcher Justin Sterner during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Houston Astros' Victor Caratini (17) hits a two-run single against Athletics relief pitcher Justin Sterner during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Athletics' Luis Urias, left, slides into home safely against Houston Astros catcher Victor Caratini (17), Urias scored the run on Jacob Wilson's RBI double during the third inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) makes the throw to first base as Athletics' Brent Rooker grounds out during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Athletics' Jacob Wilson reacts while running the bases after his home run against Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Houston Astros' Zach Dezenzo (9) celebrates his home run with Yainer Diaz (21), which tied up the game against the Athletics, during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) Houston Astros' Victor Caratini (17) hits a two-run single against Athletics relief pitcher Justin Sterner during the seventh inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Karen Warren) HOUSTON (AP) — Zach Dezenzo homered and Victor Caratini drove in two runs in the seventh to help the Houston Astros rally for a 5-3 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday. The Athletics led by 1 when rookie Justin Sterner (1-1) took over for Luis Severino to start the seventh. Dezenzo sent his fourth pitch 416 feet to center field for his second homer this season to tie it at 3-all. Advertisement There were runners on second and third with two outs in the inning when Caratini lined a single to center field to score 2 and put the Astros on top 5-3. Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. allowed five hits and three runs in a season-long six innings in his fifth start after missing more than two seasons with injuries. Shawn Dubin (2-0) struck out two in a scoreless seventh for the win and Josh Hader converted his 14th save in 14 opportunities with a scoreless ninth. Jacob Wilson homered with two RBIs for the Athletics, who fell to 3-17 in their last 20 games. Severino yielded three hits and two runs — one earned — in six innings. He struck out four to give him 1,003 strikeouts in his career, making him the 48th active player to reach 1,000 strikeouts. Advertisement Christian Walker was hit on the hand with a pitch to start Houston's fourth. He left in the bottom of the sixth inning because of the hit and the team said more information on his condition would be provided postgame. Key moment The Astros jumping on Sterner in the seventh to take the lead after Severino's strong start kept them in check through six. Key stat McCullers struck out 12 to tie a career high he last reached in 2018. Up next LHP Jacob Lopez (0-2, 2.57 ERA) will start for Oakland on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Toronto. The Astros open a four-game series against Tampa Bay on Thursday night with RHP Ryan Gusto (3-2, 4.58) on the mound against RHP Shane Baz (4-3, 4.94). ___ AP MLB:
Associated Press
28-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Astros rally in 7th inning to defeat Athletics 5-3
HOUSTON (AP) — Zach Dezenzo homered and Victor Caratini drove in two runs in the seventh to help the Houston Astros rally for a 5-3 victory over the Athletics on Wednesday. The Athletics led by 1 when rookie Justin Sterner (1-1) took over for Luis Severino to start the seventh. Dezenzo sent his fourth pitch 416 feet to center field for his second homer this season to tie it at 3-all. There were runners on second and third with two outs in the inning when Caratini lined a single to center field to score 2 and put the Astros on top 5-3. Houston's Lance McCullers Jr. allowed five hits and three runs in a season-long six innings in his fifth start after missing more than two seasons with injuries. Shawn Dubin (2-0) struck out two in a scoreless seventh for the win and Josh Hader converted his 14th save in 14 opportunities with a scoreless ninth. Jacob Wilson homered with two RBIs for the Athletics, who fell to 3-17 in their last 20 games. Severino yielded three hits and two runs — one earned — in six innings. He struck out four to give him 1,003 strikeouts in his career, making him the 48th active player to reach 1,000 strikeouts. Christian Walker was hit on the hand with a pitch to start Houston's fourth. He left in the bottom of the sixth inning because of the hit and the team said more information on his condition would be provided postgame. Key moment The Astros jumping on Sterner in the seventh to take the lead after Severino's strong start kept them in check through six. Key stat McCullers struck out 12 to tie a career high he last reached in 2018. Up next LHP Jacob Lopez (0-2, 2.57 ERA) will start for Oakland on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Toronto. The Astros open a four-game series against Tampa Bay on Thursday night with RHP Ryan Gusto (3-2, 4.58) on the mound against RHP Shane Baz (4-3, 4.94). ___ AP MLB:
