HOUSTON ASTROS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Astros, winners of six straight road games, will put that streak on the line tonight in the middle game of their three-game series in Arlington…LHP Framber Valdez will get the start for Houston, as he looks to snap a personal three-game losing streak against the Rangers…he’ll be opposed by RHP Nathan Eovaldi, who will be activated off the IL to make tonight’s start.
ABOUT VALDEZ: LHP Framber Valdez has had an up-and-down second half, but still enters tonight’s start ranking fourth in the AL in innings pitched (167.2), fourth in WHIP (1.10), fifth in opponent average (.229) and fifth in ERA (3.38)…he’s had two of his best career starts since the All-Star break, tossing a no-hitter on Aug. 1 vs. CLE and working another 7.0 hitless innings on Aug. 25 at DET…Valdez is the only pitcher in club history to post two hitless starts of 7.0+ innings in a single season and is just the sixth Major Leaguer to do so and the first since RHP Max Scherzer in 2015.
ANOTHER FAMILIAR FOE: Like last night, the Astros are facing another familiar opponent tonight, as RHP Nathan Eovaldi has matched up against the Astros in 14 career games (12 starts), going 5-5 with a 4.15 ERA (32ER/69.1IP) opposite Houston, which includes postseason action…2B Jose Altuve has faced Eovaldi in 36 career at-bats, hitting .250 (9×36) with three homers in those matchups…Altuve is joined by DH Yordan Alvarez (.700, 7×10, HR) and 3B Alex Bregman (.444, 8×18, HR) in having career success opposite Eovaldi.
THE LONE STAR SERIES: By virtue of last night’s win, the Astros improved to 7-4 against the Rangers this season, which clinches the 2023 Lone Star Series for Houston…the Astros have claimed the Silver Boot in each of the last seven seasons (2017-23), going 77-39 vs. the Rangers in that time frame.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros have gone 43-27 (.614) on the road this season, which ranks second in the AL, trailing only the Orioles (44-25, .638)…the Astros have not lost a road series since dropping two of three games at Dodger Stadium from June 23-25…since that weekend, they have had 11 road series, winning nine and splitting two.
TODAY’S ROSTER MOVES: The Astros have placed RHP Ryne Stanek on the 15-day IL with a right ankle sprain…to take his place on the active roster, the Astros recalled LHP Parker Mushinski from Triple A Sugar Land…additionally, IF Rylan Bannon, who was designated for assignment on Sunday, has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple A.
HOW THE WEST WAS WON: The AL West is currently the only division in baseball with three teams all within 1.0 game of first place…the Mariners (77-60) and Astros (78-61) lead the way, with the Rangers (76-61) a game back…its been this close for two weeks now, with the Astros either owning a share of first place or being within 1.0 game of first place on every date dating back to Aug. 22…the Astros have not owned sole possession of first place in the AL West yet this season.
HAVE BATS, WILL TRAVEL: The Astros have won six straight road games thanks in large part to an offense that has produced 65 runs and 94 hits, while averaging 10.5 runs per game, in those contests…the Astros 65 runs and 94 hits over six consecutive road games are both franchise records…for the season, the Astros lead all AL teams in runs scored (393), homers (107), OBP (.335), SLG (.448) and OPS (.783) on the road.
A PAIR OF 99S: RF Kyle Tucker has hit 99 career home runs and is looking to become the 20th player in franchise history to reach the 100-homer milestone…Tucker also has 99 RBI on the season and is looking for his second career 100-RBI season, also accomplished with 107 RBI in 2022.
TEXAS TWO-STEP: This series features the top two RBI leaders in the American League in Rangers OF Adolis Garcia (100) and Astros RF Kyle Tucker (99)…Garcia has recorded 10 of his RBI against the Astros this season, while Tucker counters with seven RBI against the Rangers.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME: RF Kyle Tucker has an active 16-game hitting streak at Globe Life Field, which ranks as the longest hitting streak in stadium history…in those 16 games, Tucker is hitting .410 (25×61) with four doubles, six homers, 21 RBI, a .455 OBP and a 1.225 OPS.
BACK-TO-BACK JACKS: According to STATS, yesterday the Astros became the first team in MLB history to have their No. 9 and No. 1 hitters hit back-to-back homers twice in the same game when CF Mauricio Dubón and 2B Jose Altuve accomplished the feat in the 6th and 9th innings…this also marked just the second time in club history for the same duo to account for multiple instances of back-to-back homer in a game, also accomplished by 2B Craig Biggio and 1B Lance Berkman on July 25, 2005 vs. PHI…the Astros now have 15 sets of back-to-back homers on the season, which leads the Majors, edging out the Braves (14).
STREAKING ‘STROS: LF Yordan Alvarez has reached safely in 13 straight games, while hitting .367 (18×49) with a 1.051 OPS over that stretch…meanwhile, 3B Alex Bregman has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games, hitting .438 (28×64) in that span.
TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: LHP FRAMBER VALDEZ
LAST START – 8/30 at BOS: allowed 4 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits with 5 strikeouts and no walks in 6.0 innings in the Astros 7-4 victory over the Red Sox…allowed 0 walks in a start for the 7th time this season and 1st time since June 14 vs. WAS.
ABOUT VALDEZ: the 2023 All-Star is now 5 starts removed from tossing his first career no-hitter…is pitching in his 6th season (2018-23) in the Astros rotation…has made 102 career regular season starts and has earned 51 career wins…has also been a standout postseason performer, going 7-2 with a 3.41 ERA in 13 career postseason outings, including 12 starts. had an excellent first half this season, going 7-6 with a 2.51 ERA to earn his 2nd consecutive All-Star Game selection…at the All-Star break, had the lowest qualified ERA in the Majors. since the break, has gone 3-3 with a 5.08 ERA in 9 starts, while allowing 4-plus runs in 6 of his 8 starts…two of his starts within this span were hitless and scoreless starts. despite the slow start to the 2nd half, still ranks T-3rd in the AL quality starts (17), 4th in innings pitched (167.2), 5th in the AL in ERA (3.38), 5th in opponent OPS (.650), 6th in pitching WAR (4.0) and 9th in strikeouts (164).
STAYING GROUNDED: once again leads the AL in groundball percentage with a 55.5% rate…ranks immediately ahead of RHP Zach Eflin (50.8%) in that category. • owns a career 63.9% groundball percentage, which ranks as the lowest qualified percentage in the Majors since 2018….since ground ball percentage started being tracked in 1987, Valdez career ground ball percentage is the 2nd-highest ever posted by a starting pitcher (min. 300 IP), trailing only RHP Brandon Webb (65.1%).
TEXAS RANGERS NOTES:
WINS AND LOSSES: Texas lost the series opener against the Astros during Labor Day yesterday, 13-6, as club has a 1-3 record to begin this 9-G, 10-day homestand vs. MIN (1- 2), HOU (0-1 + 2 G), and OAK (3 G)…club is 1-4 in last 5 G after winning 3 of previous 4 contests from 8/26-29…club is 4-13 (.235) in last 17 G beg. 8/16, T2nd-lowest win pct. in MLB over that span (KC: 4-14, .222; TEX/COL: 4-13, .235)… the 4-13 span began with a season-long 8-G losing streak from 8/16-25, 2nd-longest for Texas since start of ’22 (0-9, 8/27-9/5/22)…club has 76 wins, most since 2019 (78), and an 8-win improvement over 2022 (68)…team has dropped 14 of 20 and is 8-15 since a season-best 8-G win streak (8/1-8), longest for club since going 10-0, 5/9-19/17…have gone 17- 19 in last 36 G and 18-22 in last 40 G since a 6-G win streak (7/14-19) out of the break…team is 24-22 (.522) in the 2nd “half”, 7th-best record in the A.L…TEX is 25-24 in last 49, 26- 28 in last 54 G, and 27-30 in last 57 G…team was 12-19 over a 31-G span from 6/7-7/9 to end the 1st “half”. At 76-61 (.555), TEX has the 5th-best record in the A.L. (BAL-.628, 86-51; TB-.601, 83-55; SEA-.562, 77-60, HOU- .561, 78-61) & T7th-best in MLB…76 wins rank T5th in A.L./ T7th in MLB (90-ATL, 86-BAL, 84-LAD, 83-TB, 78-HOU, 77- SEA, 76-MIL/PHI/TEX/TOR). The 76-61 mark is the 8th-best 137-G start to a season in Washington/Texas franchise history, best since club-record 82-55 (.599) start in 2016.
SERIES STUFF: The Rangers have dropped 4 of last 5 series (lone win, 2-1 from last Mon.-Wed. at NYM)…prior to the current 1-4-0 span, club had a 5-0-0 stretch from 8/1-16 that was 2nd-best streak in ’23 (6-0-0, 5/19-6/7)…team is 8-7-0 in series since break…the span follows a 2-6-1 stretch to end the 1st “half”…is 25-17-2 overall in series in ’23: 13-7-2 at home; 12-10-0 on the road…TEX has won 3 of last 5 and 5 of 8 series in Arlington since the All-Star break.
AT HOME: TEX is 43-27 (.614) at home in ’23, 3rd-best in A.L. and 5th-best in MLB (ATL: 44-22, .667; LAD: 47-24, .662; TB: 45-24, .652; BAL: 42-26, .618)…best 70-G home start since 2016 (see chart below)…club is 1-7 in Arlington in last 8 G (including a 6-G losing streak from 8/16-9/2), this after never losing more than 3 in a row at home all year…the 6-G slide followed a GLF record 9-G home win streak from 7/23-8/15.
VS. HOUSTON: Texas is now assured of not taking the 2023 Lone Star Series for the Silver Boot with a 4-7 vs. HOU so far this season…2-1 4/14-16 at MMP, 1-3 6/30-7/3 at GLF, 1-2 7/24-26 at MMP…TEX is 0-6-1 in season series over past 7 years (5-5 in 2020)…TEX is 5-6 in last 11 G vs. HOU, but has lost 10 of 15, 21 of 30, and 29 of last 40 G (beg. 6/15/21)… TEX leads all-time, 134-130 overall and 70-61 in Arlington… club is just 11-17 vs. HOU at GLF, going 5-16 in last 21 G here after a 6-1 start.
ROSTER MOVES: The Rangers announced several roster moves prior to tonight’s game against the Astros:
- RHP Nathan Eovaldi activated from the 15-day Injured List.
- RHP Ian Kennedy selected from Round Rock (AAA).
- RHP Josh Sborz placed on the 15-day Injured List with a left hamstring strain.
- RHP Glenn Otto designated for assignment.
WELCOME BACK, EVO: Nathan Eovaldi will make his 20th start of the season tonight, his 2nd since the All-Star break and first since 7/18 vs. TB (W, 6.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 SO, 93 pitches/56 strikes)…the 2023 All-Star has missed the last 33 G after being placed on the IL with a right forearm strain on 7/30 (retro to 7/27)…his club-high 11 wins are still T7th-most in the A.L., and he remains 1 of 3 A.L. pitchers with multiple CG in this season (2 CG)…his ranks among A.L. pitchers (min. 120.0 IP): WHIP (1st, 1.01), ERA (1st, 2.69), H/9 (2nd, 6.62), BR/9 (2nd, 9.39), opp. OPS (2nd, .610), HR/9 (2nd, 0.58), GIDP/9 (2nd, 1.16), and opp. BA (2nd, .208). Eovaldi has 111 SO/34 BB in 2023 (3.26 SO/BB), the 4th pitcher in club history w/ 111+ SO’s and 34-or-less BB in his 1st 19 GS with the club (Jon Gray, ’22 – 16 SO, 34 BB; Lance Lynn, ’19 – 123 SO, 26 BB; Gaylord Perry, ’75 – 115 SO, 29 BB)…over his last 16 starts (beg. 4/18): 10-1, 2.17 ERA (26 ER/108.0 IP), 92 SO, 31 BB, and a .188 opp. BA (70-373).
DOUBLE DOUBLE: Corey Seager went 3-for-5 with 2 HR, 3 RBI, and 2 R yesterday, his 14th career multi-HR game and 2nd this season (also 2 HR, 8/15 vs. LAA)…Seager now has 28 HR in 94 games played in 2023, the most by a Ranger in the 1st 94 G of a season since Josh Hamilton in 2012 (29 HR/94 G)…his team-leading 63 XBH are tops by a TEX batter in franchise history through 94 G (prev. 58, Juan González in 1996)…per Stats, LLC., Seager’s 61 homers since joining the Rangers in 2022 are the most by a shortstop during that span (Corey Seager-61 HR, Willy Adames-53 HR; Francisco Lindor-51 HR).
PASS ME SOME OF THAT SAUCE: A day after securing a career high-tying 4 hits and recording his 9th career multiHR game, Mitch Garver went 2-for-3 with a HR and 2 RBI yesterday…Garver has homered in 2 straight games, 5 of 9, 6 of 11, and 7 of his last 15 G (8 total HR)…over his last 34 G (beg. 7/24), Garver is slashing .328/.431/.681/1112 (38-116) with 12 HR and 25 RBI…Garver’s 1.112 OPS since 7/24 is T2nd in the A.L. w/ Corey Seager and barely trails SEA’s Julio Rodríguez (1.120), while his 12 HR during that span are also T2nd in the A.L. (Seager leads w/ 13 HR).
HEDGES, TEXAS RELIEVER: Austin Hedges made his 2nd-career pitching appearance during the 9th inning yesterday (0.2 SHO IP)…it was Hedges’ 2nd pitching app. for TEX this season, all in a span of 12 days (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R-ER, 1 HR, 1 HB, 1 SO)…it was also the 4th time for a position player to pitch for Texas in 2023 (also Hedges, 8/25 at MIN; Sandy León, 5/15 vs. ATL; Brad Miller, 7/22 vs. LAD)…it was the 28th instance in Rangers history, with Hedges being the 21st
different player to do it.
SHORTS: Seager’s 453 foot, 1st-inning HR yesterday was the 2nd-longest HR of his career (464 ft., 9/26/21 at ARI w/ LAD), 2nd-longest by TEX in ’23 (457 ft. by Garver on 8/3 vs. CWS)…both teams combined to hit 9 HR yesterday (5-HOU, 4-TEX), setting a GLF record (incl. 2020 MLB postseason) for single-game HR (previously 8 combined HR on 5/3 vs. ARI)…yesterday’s 7-run loss marked TEX’s largest margin of defeat at home since a season-worst 16-3 (-13) loss on 7/22 vs. LAD…TEX has scored multiple 1st-inning runs in 3 straight games (2 R on Sat., 3 R on Sun., and 2 R yesterday), this after not scoring 2+ R in the opening frame since 8/2 vs. CWS (2 R)…Adolis García is 3 R shy of becoming the 12th player in TEX history (20th instance) to record a 100 R/100 RBI season…Seager is 6 hits shy of 1,000 for his career, becoming the 11th active shortstop to reach said mark.
TONIGHT’S STARTING PITCHER – #17 Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (11-3, 2.69)
TONIGHT: The 33-year-old right-hander was activated from the 15-day Injured List today and will make his 20th start of the season tonight, his 2nd since the All-Star break… has missed the last 33 G after being placed on the IL with a right forearm strain on 7/30 (retro to 7/27), with TEX going 16-18 during that span…his club-high 11 wins are still T7th-most in the A.L., as he became just the 2nd TEX pitcher since ’13 to post 10+ wins prior to the All-Star break (11 by Lance Lynn in ’19)…this is the 3rd double-digit win season of his career (14-2015 w/ NYY, 11-2021 w/ BOS), as he has the 2nd-highest win total by any TEX pitcher since the start of ’20 (trailing only 12 wins by Martín Pérez in ’22)…logged a scoreless 2nd inn. for the A.L. in ’23 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle (1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 SO), his 2nd career All-Star selection (also ’21)…is 10-1, 2.17 ERA (26 ER/108.0 IP) over his last 16 starts (beg. 4/18)…remains 1 of 3 A.L. pitchers with multiple CG in 2023, and his 2 CG’s this season are the most by a Ranger since Mike Minor in ’19 (also 2)…Eovaldi signed a 2-year free agent contract with the Rangers on 12/27/22…went 6-3 with a 3.87 ERA (47 ER/109.1 IP) over 20 G/GS in 2022 w// BOS… was slowed by a pair of IL stints: 6/9-7/14 (low back inflammation) and 8/19-9/28 (right shoulder inflammation)…was an All-Star with the Red Sox in 2021 and finished 4th in A.L. Cy Young Award voting…his Red Sox stint also included a historic postseason stretch during the team’s 2018 World Series run…has pitched for 6 teams in his career: LAD (2011-12), MIA (2012-14), NYY (2015-16), TB (2018), BOS (2018-22) and TEX (2023)…joins Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan as the only graduates of Alvin (TX) High School to reach the Major Leagues…TEX is 11-8 in Eovaldi’s 19 starts in this season.
STILL UP THERE: Eovaldi’s current ranks among A.L. pitchers (min. 120.0 IP): WHIP (1st, 1.01), ERA (1st, 2.69), H/9 (2nd, 6.62), BR/9 (2nd, 9.39), opp. OPS (2nd, .610), HR/9 (2nd, 0.58), GIDP/9 (2nd, 1.16), opp. BA (2nd, .208), GB pct. (4th, 52.4), FIP (4th, 3.24), opp. GIDP (5th, 16), wins (T7th, 11).
NASTY NATE: Has gone 11-3, 2.69 ERA in 19 GS this season…joined Lance Lynn as 2nd TEX pitcher since ’13 with 10+ wins prior to All-Star break (Lynn was 11-4 in ’19). Has 111 SO and just 34 BB in ’23 (3.26 SO/BB), the 4th pitcher in club history w/ 111+ SO’s and 34-or-less BB in his 1st 19 GS with the club (Jon Gray, ’22 – 116 SO, 34 BB; Lance Lynn, ’19 – 123 SO, 26 BB; Gaylord Perry, ’75 – 115 SO, 29 BB). Over last 16 starts (beg. 4/18): 10-1, 2.17 ERA (26 ER/108.0 IP), 92 SO/31 BB, .188 opp. BA (70-373)…became the first TEX pitcher to amass 9+ wins and post an ERA of 2.29-or-lower over a 15-start span since Cole Hamels from 6/7-8/25/16 (9-3, 2.17 ERA) His 123.2 IP are the most frames covered by a Ranger in his first 19 GS of a season since Yu Darvish in ’14 (126.1 IP)…5.0+ IP in all 19 GS, most consecutive outings of 5.0+ IP by a Ranger to open a season since Darvish in ’13 (club record-tying 32 GS).
LAST START: Recorded his 11th win of the season with 6.0 SHO IP in his last start on 7/18 vs. TB (W, 6.0 SHO IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 SO, 93 pitches/54 strikes)…the 11 wins were tied with 4 other pitchers for most in MLB at that point of the season…the start marked Eovaldi’s 6th this season with 6.0+ SHO IP, which was tied at that point with 2 other pitchers for most such starts in MLB in ’23: TOR’s Chris Bassitt, SD’s Michael Wacha… the 6 such starts are already T2nd-most in a single season in WAS/TEX franchise history behind only Yu Darvish in ’13 (7).
VS. HOUSTON: Is 3-3, 3.83 (22 ER/51.2 IP) in 9 G/GS over his career vs. HOU…the Alvin native had 7.0 SHO IP in his first meeting against the Astros this season, a 5-2 Rangers win on 7/1 at GLF (W, 7.0 SHO IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 SO, 97 pitches/58 strikes).
AT HOME: Eovaldi has been equally productive in 8 starts at Globe Life Field (5-2, 2.60 ERA) compared to 11 starts on the road (6-1, 2.76 ERA) this season…opponents are batting .189/.255/.344/.600 (34-180) w/ 5 HR in Arlington vs. .221/.280/.337/.617 (57- 258) w/ 3 HR on the road…tossed 1st 9-inn. CG SHO of career on 4/29 vs. NYY (9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 SO), 1st CG SHO by a Ranger since Martín Pérez on 5/20/22 at HOU (9.0 SHO IP), and the 1st CG SHO ever thrown by a TEX pitcher at Globe Life Field.
STREAKING: Posted career-best 29.2-inning scoreless streak from 4/24-5/17, T5th-longest in Rangers history: 39.0-Kenny Rogers, 5/6-6/1/95; 36.0-Charlie Hough, 8/23-9/14/83; 33.1-Yovani Gallardo, 6/10-7/7/15; 31.0-Rogers, 4/27-5/20/05; 29.2-Eovaldi, 4/24-5/17/23/Jeff Zimmerman, 5/25-8/2/99. Recorded 8.0+ SHO IP in 3 straight starts from 4/29-5/6, becoming just the 3rd pitcher in TEX history with 3 consecutive outings of at least 8.0 SHO IP: Martín Pérez (3, 4/13-23/14) and Charlie Hough (3, 8/28-9/7/83)…Eovaldi also struck out 25 batters while issuing just 3 walks over that stretch, just the 6th pitcher in the modern era (since 1900) to have a 3-start span with 25.0+ SHO IP, 25+ SO, and 3-or-fewer walks (credit: STATS)…he was the first MLB pitcher to pull the trick since LAD’s Clayton Kershaw from 7/8-23/15 (26.0 SHO IP, 38 SO, 0 BB), and joined WSH’s Walter Johnson (27.0 SHO IP, 25 SO, 3 BB from 4/19-30/1913) as the only A.L. pitchers to ever do it.
