HOUSTON ASTROS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Astros begin a 7-game road trip tonight with the first of a 4-game series at Yankee Stadium…RHP Cristian Javier (7-2) will start for the Astros vs. Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (7-6).
VS. THE YANKS: The current series is the first matchup of the season between the Astros and Yankees…HOU was 5-2 vs. NYY in 2022, going 3-0 at home and 2-2 in the Bronx…ALCS: The Astros swept the Yankees in the 2022 ALCS, clinching the series with a 6-5 victory in Game 4 on 10/23 at Yankee Stadium…All-Time: The Astros are 30-38 all-time vs. NYY in the regular season and 13-5 vs. NYY in the postseason, having won all 4 postseason series (2015, 2017, 2019, 2022).
MR. CRISTIAN: Tonight will be RHP Cristian Javier’s 21st start of the season…he had ND in his last start on 7/28 vs. TB, registering a Quality Start (6 IP, 3 ER) with 9 K’s…VS NYY: In 4 career apps. (3 GS) vs. the Yankees, including the postseason, Javier is 2-0 with an 0.44 ERA (1ER/20.1IP)… Javier had 2 memorable starts at Yankee Stadium in 2022: on 6/25, he hurled the 1st 7.0 innings a combined no-hitter, tallying 13 K’s; in Game 3 of the 2022 ALCS, he allowed just 1 hit in 5.1 shutout innings in a 5-0 Astros win…in 2 career starts at Yankee Stadium (both in 2022): 2-0, 0,00 ERA, 12.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 18 SO (Yankees hitters are 1×38 off him in those 2 starts).
YESTERDAY’S RECAP: The Astros edged CLE, 3-2 yesterday at Minute Maid Park to complete the 3-game sweep and end the homestand at 6-3…Chas McCormick provided the offense, going 2×3 with 2 HR and 3 RBI…RHP Phil Maton (3-3) earned the win in relief…RHP Ronel Blanco had ND as the starter (4 IP, 2 ER).
SWEEPSTAKES: The 3-game sweep over the Guardians was the Astros 6th series sweep of the season and their first since a 2-gamer vs. COL, 7/4-5…it also marked the 1st sweep over CLE since 7/1-4 of 2021 at CLE (4g).
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 3 straight, 4 of 5 and 10 of their last 14 games…Post All-Star: The Astros 12-6 record since the All-Star Break is tops in the AL.
Since the All-Star Break – AL
- Houston: 12-6 (.667)
- Baltimore: 12-7 (.632)
- LA Angels: 11-7 (.611)
ROAD WARRIORS: Tonight, the Astros begin a 7-game road trip, during which they will visit (NYY-4g) and BAL-3g), respectively…HOU is 31-22 (.585) on the road this season, which is 2nd-best in the AL.
TOUGH STRETCH: The Astros are 6-3 thus far into a stretch of playing eight of nine series against opponents that currently have a .500-or-better record…during this stretch, the Astros have faced the Rangers (2-1), Rays (1-2) and Guardians (3- 0)..the Yankees, Orioles, Angels, Marlins, Mariners and Red Sox are the remaining opponents in this stretch.
AT THE HELM: Astros skipper Dusty Baker, who’s in his 26th season as a manager and his fourth in Houston, is eighth all-time in managerial wins with 2,155…he now immediately trails Bucky Harris (2,158) for seventh on that exclusive list.
FRAMBULOUS!: On Tuesday night, LHP Framber Valdez tossed the 15th regular season no-hitter in franchise history in a 2-0 victory over the Guardians…Valdez was masterful, as he allowed just one base runner, a walk in the 5th, who was erased on a double play, allowing him to face the minimum 27 batters.
ABOUT THE NO-HITTER: The no-hitter thrown by LHP Framber Valdez was historical in several ways:
- was the Astros 15th regular season no-hitter and the 16th overall…additionally, it was the first no-hitter ever tossed by an Astros left-handed pitcher.
- the Astros last no-hitter came in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series, which was a combined effort, started by RHP Cristian Javier, who also started the Astros last regular season no-hitter on June 25, 2022 at NYY (also combined).
- the Astros last no-hitter by a single pitcher was thrown by RHP Justin Verlander on Sept. 1, 2019 at TOR…the last Astros no-hitter at Minute Maid Park was a combined no-hitter on Aug. 3, 2019 vs. SEA, started by RHP Aaron Sanchez.
- Valdez needed only 93 pitches and per Sarah Langs, this ranks as the the third-lowest total in a no-hitter since pitch counts started being tracked in 1988…the others were tossed by the Astros RHP Daryl Kile (83) on Sept. 8, 1993, and the Yankees RHP David Cone (88) on July 18, 1999.
- per STATS, the Astros have thrown five no-hitters in five years (2019-23), including the postseason…that’s the most no-hitters by any team over a five-year span in MLB history
TUESDAY’S TRADE: On Tuesday, the Astros reunited with RHP Justin Verlander, acquiring the three-time Cy Young winner and cash considerations from the Mets in exchange for minor league prospects OF Drew Gilbert and OF Ryan Clifford…Verlander will join the team today in New York.
JV’S RETURN: RHP Justin Verlander is returning to Houston for what will be his seventh consecutive season in an Astros uniform…a few notes on Verlander’s accolades:
- Verlander, 40, returns to the Astros after a six-year stint with the club from 2017-22…during those six seasons, he went 61- 19 with a 2.26 ERA (164ER/652IP) with 825 strikeouts, a 0.83 WHIP and a .184 opponent batting average in 102 starts.
- Verlander earned numerous accolades while he was a member of the Astros, including two American League Cy Young Awards (2019, 2022), three All-Star Game selections, the 2017 ALCS MVP Award and two World Series Championships.
- in his Astros postseason career, Verlander has gone 9-6 with a 3.87 ERA (47ER/109.1IP) in 19 games (18 starts) including a complete game in the 2017 ALCS against the Yankees…he is the Astros postseason franchise record-holder in wins and starts.
- Verlander signed a two-year contract with the Mets this offseason and has gone 6-5 with a 3.15 ERA (33ER/94.1IP) in 16 starts this season…over his last seven starts, Verlander went 4-1 with a 1.49 ERA (7ER/42.IP) and a .178 opponent batting average (27×152).
- throughout his 17-year career, Verlander has won three Cy Young Awards, two ERA titles, one American League MVP and has been selected to nine All-Star Games.
NATIONAL TV: Tonight’s game will be aired nationally on FOX, with Joe Davis, John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal on the call.
RECENT ROSTER MOVE: RHP Ronel Blanco was optioned to Triple A Sugar Land following yesterday’s game.
TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP CRISTIAN JAVIER
LAST START – 7/28 VS. TB: logged his best outing of July, tossing 6 IP while allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, striking out 3 batters…was his 1st quality start and 1st outing of 6+ IP since 6/15 vs. WAS.
BACK IN THE BRONX: has been at his best vs. NYY, especially at Yankee Stadium, going 2-0 with a 0.44 ERA (1ER/20.1IP) in 4 career outings 3 (starts) vs. the Yankees…has recorded a 0.00 ERA (0ER/12.1IP) in his 2 career starts at Yankee Stadium…Yankees hitters have batted .026 (1×38) vs. Javier through his starts at Yankee Stadium…the Astros are 3-1 in his 4 career starts vs. the Yankees.
- started a combined no-hitter on June 25 of last season at Yankee Stadium, tossing 7 scoreless IP and striking out 13 batters in what was the 14th no-hitter in Astros franchise history… was 1 of 2 no-hitters tossed against the Yankees dating back to 1959, with HOU also tossing the other one in 2003
- hurled 5.1 scoreless IP while allowing just 1 hit and striking out 5 batters in a 5-0 victory in Game 3 of last year’s American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium.
- has held Yankees sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton to a combined 1×13 (.077) in his career, including, picking up a combined 9 strikeouts vs. the duo.
BACK ON TRACK: went on a tough 3-start stretch from 6/21-7/3, in which he logged a 15.19 ERA (18ER/10.2IP)…outside of those 3 starts, he’s recorded a 3.29 ERA (35ER/95.2IP) on the year.
ABOUT JAVIER: Dominican hurler has made 20 starts in 2023…the Astros have gone 14-6 in his 20 starts this season and are 20-6 in Javier’s last 26 starts dating back to Aug. 31, 2022…in his those 26 starts, he’s recorded a 3.57 ERA (56ER/141.1IP) with 147 strikeouts, a 1.09 WHIP and a .211 opponent batting average.
LEAGUE LEADERBOARD: has pitched primarily as a starter over the last 2 seasons (2022- 23)…among qualifying AL pitchers over that span, ranks 3rd in opponent average (.197), 5th in strikeouts per 9.0 (10.41), 9th in WHIP (1.05), T-10th in wins (18), and 10th in strikeouts (297).
INVISIBALL: has held opponents to a .194 average (283×1460) throughout his MLB career… it’s the lowest opponent’s batting average (min. 400 IP) of any MLB pitcher since entering the league in 2020…the next-closest players are RHP Corbin Burnes (.195) and RHP Shohei Ohtani (.200).
NEW YORK YANKEES NOTES:
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees continue their seven-game homestand tonight with the first game of a four-game series vs. Houston (through Sun.)…are 1-2 on the homestand after losing two-of-three games vs. Tampa Bay earlier this week.
Are in a stretch of playing 12-of-15 games at home (7/21- 8/6)…overall, are 6-5 during that stretch and 5-3 at home during that span.
YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Yankees defeated the Rays, 7-2, on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium…RHP Gerrit Cole (7.0IP, 4H, 2ER, 2BB, 8K, 1HR) started and earned his 10th win of the year…SS Anthony Volpe (3-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 2RBI, 1SB) tied his career high with 3H and hit a game-tying two-run HR in the third inning…RF Giancarlo Stanton (2-for-4, 1R, 1HR, 4RBI) tied his season high with 4RBI, hitting a go-ahead three-run HR in the third inning and an RBI single in the seventh inning…LF/RF Isiah Kiner-Falefa (1-for-3, 2R, 1BB) reached base twice and recorded two outfield assists…2B Gleyber Torres (3-for-4, 2R, 1 double, 1SB) tied his season high with 3H…RHP Tommy Kahnle (1.0IP, 1H, 3K) and RHP Clay Holmes (1.0IP, 1H, 2K) were both scoreless in relief.
PEN PALS: Yankees relievers have allowed just 1R/ER in their last 20.2 innings and just 2R/ER in their last 25.1 innings over their last seven games (9H, 7BB, 28K, 1HR, 1HP).
Have posted a Major League-best 3.07 ERA (401.2IP, 137ER) this season…are the only Major League bullpen to own an ERA under 3.50…also own a Major League-best .216
opponents’ BA, rank second in HR/9.0IP (0.83) and rank fourth in WHIP (1.21).
STANTON ISLAND: DH/OF Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead three-run HR in the third inning and an RBI single in the seventh inning on Wednesday…his 4RBI tied his season high (also 7/15 at Colorado)…has 8HR and 19RBI in his last 19 games (since 7/8).
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK: INF Anthony Volpe tied his career high with three hits on Wednesday (also 6/27 at Oakland), hitting a game-tying two-run HR in the third inning and singles in the sixth and eighth innings.
His 14HR are the fourth-most among AL rookies this year, trailing Texas’ Josh Jung (21HR), Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson (18HR) and Boston’s Triston Casas (16HR)…are the most by a Yankees rookie since 2018 when Miguel Andújar hit 27HR and Gleyber Torres hit 24HR.
HAWAIIAN PUNCH: INF/OF Isiah Kiner-Falefa is batting .309 (30-for-97) with 18R, 4 doubles, 2HR, 14RBI, 15BB, 1HP, 3SF and 4SB in his last 38 games (since 6/4).
Owns a season-high-tying six-game hitting streak (since 7/25)…has reached base in 11-of-22 plate appearances (6H, 4BB, 1HP, .500 OBP) over that span.
In his last 26 games (since 6/22), has hit .319/.425/.449 (22- for-69) with 13R, 3 doubles, 2HR, 13RBI, 14BB, 1HP, 3SF and 1SB in that span.
LEMACHINE: INF DJ LeMahieu is batting .284 (19-for-67) with 6R, 4 doubles, 1HR, 2RBI and 10BB in his last 19 games (since 7/6), hitting safely in 15 of those games…has reached base in 19 of his last 21 games (since 7/4) and 26 of his last 30 games (since 6/23).
GLEYBER DAY: INF Gleyber Torres tied his season high with three hits on Wednesday (third time: also 4/5 vs. Philadelphia and 7/14 at Colorado)…has hit safely in 18 of his last 21 games (since 7/6), hitting .314 (27-for-86) with 13R, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 3HR, 9RBI, 3BB, 3SF and 2SB in that span…has also hit safely in 23 of his last 28 games (since 6/29) and 25 of his last 31 games (since 6/25).
Has reached base in 27 of his last 32 games (since 6/24) and 40 of his last 46 games (since 6/8-G1).
DARTH BADER: OF Harrison Bader is batting .355 (11-for31) with 7R, 3 doubles, 2RBI, 1SF and 2SB in his last 10 games (since 7/22).
SCHMIDT’S CREEK: RHP Clarke Schmidt will make his 22nd start (23rd appearance) of the season tonight…has gone 6-2 with a 3.20 ERA (64.2IP, 23ER) over his last 13 appearances (12 starts) since 5/19.
Has allowed 3R-or-fewer in each of his last 12 starts (since 5/19), 14 of his last 15 starts (since 5/3) and 15 of his last 17 starts (since 4/23).
His 17 starts with 3R-or-fewer allowed are tied for the fourth-most such starts in the AL and tied for the fifth-most such starts in the Majors this season.
His current 12-start streak of 3R-or-fewer allowed is tied for the third-longest such streak in the Majors this season, trailing only Minnesota’s Sonny Gray’s 17-start streak from 4/1-7/2 and San Diego’s Blake Snell’s current 13-start streak from 5/25-7/30.
Has recorded the win in each of his last five starts (since 6/29), marking the longest streak of his career and the longest such streak by a Yankees starter since James Paxton’s 10-start streak from 8/2-9/21/19.
ALL RISE: OF Aaron Judge has reached base safely in 47 of his 54 games this season, batting .295/.415/.663 (56-for190) with 44R, 10 doubles, 20HR, 42RBI, 41BB, 3SB and a 1.078 OPS.
Has reached base safely in 24 of his last 25 games (since 5/12)…is batting .333/.482/.862 (29-for-87) with 23R, 4 doubles, 14HR, 26RBI, 25BB and 1SB in that span.
Since returning from the injured list on Friday, has reached base in 11-of-21 plate appearances (5H, 6BB, .524 OBP).
His 10 game-winning RBI are tied for the fifth-most in the AL (tied for eighth in the Majors) and his 20HR are tied for the eighth-most in the AL.
HOLMES SWEET HOLMES: RHP Clay Holmes tossed a scoreless ninth inning on Wednesday…has not allowed a run in 29 of his last 32 appearances (since 5/6), going 4-0 with 10 saves and a 0.85 ERA (31.2IP, 3ER) in that span…his 0.85 ERA since 5/6 is the second-lowest ERA among all Major League pitchers in that span (min. 30.0IP), trailing only Baltimore’s Félix Bautista (0.49).
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER: RHP CLARKE SCHMIDT (7-6, 4.39 ERA)
RHP Clarke Schmidt will make his 23rd appearance (22nd start) of the season in tonight’s series opener vs. Houston…the 27-year-old will make the start on regular four days’ rest…last pitched on Saturday at Baltimore and earned his seventh win of the season and fifth in as many starts after allowing 3ER over 5.0IP (5H, 1BB, 2K, 1HR, 1HP)…marked his 12th consecutive start with 3ER-or-fewer allowed, tied for the fourth-longest such streak in the Majors this season…has posted a 3.17 ERA (59.2IP, 21ER) over his last 12 appearances (11 starts) since 5/25…his 17 starts with 3R-or-fewer allowed are tied for the fifth-most such starts in the Majors this season (tied for fourth in AL)…has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in seven of his last 12 starts and 1ER-or-fewer in four of those starts… has allowed 3ER-or-fewer in each of his last 12 starts, 14 of his last 15 starts (since 5/3) and 15 of his last 17 starts (since 4/23)…has tossed at least 5.0 innings in 11 of his last 12 starts and 14 of his last 17 starts after not doing so in his first four starts this season…made his second career Opening Day roster in 2023 (also 2022)…in 2022, went 5-5 with two saves and a 3.12 ERA (57.2IP, 46H, 23R/20ER, 23BB, 56K, 5HR) in 29 appearances (three starts) over four stints with the Yankees…in three starts, went 0-2 with a 4.63 ERA (11.2IP, 13H, 6ER, 2BB, 14K, 0HR)…as a reliever, went 5-3 with two saves and a 2.74 ERA (46.0IP, 33H, 17R/14ER, 21BB, 42K, 5HR) in 26 games…tossed at least 2.0 innings in 13 of his relief appearances and at least 3.0 innings in five of those relief appearances…was selected by the Yankees in the first round (16th overall) of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of South Carolina.
LAST TIME OUT: Last pitched on Saturday at Baltimore and earned his seventh win of the season and fifth in as many starts after allowing 3ER over 5.0IP (5H, 1BB, 2K, 1HR, 1HP)…retired 10 of his final 13 batters faced…was his sixth straight start of at least 5.0IP…marked his 12th consecutive start with 3ER-or-fewer allowed.
Has recorded the win in each of his last five starts (since 6/29 at Oakland), marking the longest streak of his career and the longest such streak by a Yankees starter since James Paxton’s 10-start streak from 8/2-9/21/19.
ON A ROLL: Is 7-3 with a 3.62 ERA (79.2IP, 32ER) and 67K over his last 16 appearances (15 starts) since 5/3 after going 0-3 with a 6.84 ERA (25.0IP, 19ER) and 32K in his first six starts of the season.
Over his last 12 appearances (11 starts) since 5/25, is 5-2 with a 3.17 ERA (59.2IP, 21ER) and 45K.
Has allowed 2ER-or-fewer in seven of his last 12 starts and 1ER-or-fewer in four of those starts.
Has allowed 3ER-or-fewer in each of his last 12 starts, 14 of his last 15 starts (since 5/3) and 15 of his last 17 starts (since 4/23).
VS. HOUSTON/AL WEST: Will be making his first career appearance vs. Houston tonight.
Has made six starts this season vs. AL West opponents, going 2-2 with a 4.06 ERA (31.0IP, 14ER) and 33K).
Has allowed 3R-or-fewer in each of his last four starts (since 5/9) against the division…has allowed 2R-or-fewer in three of those starts.
HOME SWEET HOME: Is 3-5 with a 4.01 ERA (60.2IP, 27ER) and 56K in 13 appearances (12 starts) at home this season…has allowed 3R-or-fewer in 10 of those starts.
Has made 28 appearances (14 starts) in his career at Yankee Stadium, going 5-7 with one save and a 3.82 ERA (92.0IP, 86H, 47R/39ER, 29BB, 86K, 15HR) in those games.
Has tossed 5.0IP-or-more in each of his last six home starts and in eight of his 12 home starts this season…has also allowed 3R-or-fewer in six consecutive home starts and in 10 of his 12 home starts this season.
2023: Has made 22 appearances (21 starts) this season, going 7-6 with a 4.39 ERA (104.2IP, 109H, 57R/51ER, 29BB, 99K, 16HR)…over his last 12 appearances (11 starts) since 5/25, is 5-2 with a 3.17 ERA (59.2IP, 21ER) and 45K.
Has allowed 3ER-or-fewer in 12 straight starts, tied for the fourth-longest streak in the Majors this season.
Has recorded the win in each of his last five starts (since 6/29 at Oakland), marking the longest streak of his career and the longest such streak by a Yankees starter since James Paxton’s 10-start streak from 8/2-9/21/19.
Has tossed at least 5.0 innings in 11 of his last 12 starts and 14 of his last 17 starts after not doing so in his first four starts this season.
Made his first relief appearance on 7/9 vs. Chicago-NL (0.2IP, 1K)…marked his first relief appearance since 10/4/22-G2 at Texas.
Tossed a career-high-tying 6.0IP on 5/9 vs. Oakland, 6/6 vs. Chicago-AL and 7/15 at Colorado.
Did not allow a HR in four straight starts from 5/14-31, marking the longest homerless stretch of his career as a starter (previous: three straight starts from 6/16-9/3/22)…has surrendered just 7HR over his last 13 starts (since 5/3) after allowing at least 1HR in five of his first six starts of the season (7HR total).
In his eighth start of the season on 5/9 vs. Oakland, earned his first win of the season after allowing just 2ER over a career-high-tying 6.0IP (5H, 2BB, 7K, 1HR, 1WP)…marked his first career win as a starter… reached 100.0 career innings in the first inning.
Struck out Ezequiel Duran (swinging) in the fifth inning on 4/28 at Texas for his 100th career strikeout.
Recorded a career-high-tying 8K on 4/23 vs. Toronto, 4/28 at Texas and 7/15 at Colorado.
FOR STARTERS: Will be making his 27th career start…over his first 26 career Major League starts (21 in 2023, three in ’22, one in ’21, one in ’20), is 7-9 with a 4.50 ERA (124.0IP, 133H, 71R/62ER, 36BB,118K, 17HR)…has tossed at least 5.0IP in 11 of his last 12 starts and 14 of his last 17 starts after not doing so in his first nine career starts. Is 7-6 with a 4.41 ERA (104.0IP, 51ER) and 98K in 21 starts in 2023…tossed a career-high-tying 6.0IP on 5/9 vs. Oakland, 6/6 vs. Chicago-AL and 7/15 at Colorado…recorded a career-high-tying 8K on 4/23 vs. Toronto, 4/28 at Texas and 7/15 at Colorado.
