WASHINGTON NATIONALS NOTES:
No team release available.
HOUSTON ASTROS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Astros will go for the sweep tonight behind RHP Cristian Javier in the finale of their three-game series with the visiting Washington Nationals…Javier will be opposed by LHP Mackenzie Gore, who’s making his first career regular season appearance against the Astros…the Astros enter tonight 12-3 in their last 15 home games.
SWEEPSTAKES: The Astros have not swept the Nationals in any series length since the franchise moved to Washington D.C. in 2005…the Astros last sweep of the franchise was a three-game sweep of the Expos at Minute Maid Park from Aug. 3-5, 2001…Astros TV broadcaster Geoff Blum was an infielder on that Expos team, and went 1×7 in two starts at third base that series.
MR. CRISTIAN: RHP Cristian Javier enters tonight’s start riding a club-long, five-game winning streak, which spans his last six outings…going back to Aug. 31 of last season, Javier has won 11 of his last 12 decisions, which spans his last 19 regular season starts…the Astros are 16-3 in his last 19 outings.
VS. THE NATIONALS: The Astros and Nationals will forever be connected with each other after a bizarre 2019 World Series matchup that featured road wins in all seven contests, with the Nationals topping the Astros in the finale…while most of the 2019 squads have turned over, the teams remain very familiar with each other due to sharing a Spring Training facility in West Palm Beach…the two clubs matched up six times in Spring Training this season, splitting the contests.
GRINDERS: The Astros are within a streak of playing 26 games in 27 days (since May 26), and are 11-8 within this streak…on Sunday, the Astros completed a streak of playing games on 17 consecutive days, which is their longest streak of the season.
WEDNESDAY’S WALKOFF: The Astros picked up their second walkoff win of the season last night, downing the Nationals 5-4…the winning run was scored by 1B José Abreu (3×4, HR, 3RBI), who trotted home on a throwing error by the Nationals… the Astros dominated the game (until a rocky 9th inning), mostly behind LHP Framber Valdez (1ER/7IP), who lowered his ERA to 2.27, which ranks fourth in the AL.
INJURY UPDATES: Prior to last night’s game, Astros General Manager Dana Brown provided several updates on the club’s injured players:
- RHP Lance McCullers Jr. underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair the flexor tendon in his right forearm and remove a bone spur…McCullers will be out for the remainder of the year, but is expected to return at some point during the 2024 season.
- LF Yordan Alvarez has been diagnosed with a right oblique strain and is expected to be sidelined for four-plus weeks.
- RHP José Urquidy (right shoulder discomfort) is still throwing on flat ground, but will likely pitch off the mound this homestand…once he begins throwing off the mound, the Astros will have a clearer timeline for his return.
- OF Michael Brantley (right shoulder surgery) is hitting in the cages and throwing pain free and will ramp up his baseball activities this homestand…his progress over the next two weeks will clear up the timeline for his return.
MISSING PIECE: The Astros are without a huge piece of their lineup in OF Yordan Alvarez, who’s missed the last five games… Alvarez still ranks second in the Majors with 55 RBI, while ranking second in the AL in OPS (.978), second in SLG (.589) and tied for third in homers (17).
PITCHING IN: The Astros have the lowest team ERA (3.25) and have allowed the fewest runs (248) in the Majors…the Astros starters rank second in Majors in ERA (3.31), while their bullpen checks in at third in the Majors in ERA (3.14).
Lowest Team ERA – MLB Runs Allowed – MLB
- Houston: 3.25 1. Houston: 248
- Minnesota: 3.52 2. Minnesota: 255
- Tampa Bay: 3.55 3. San Diego: 258
ELIAS SAYS: 2B Jose Altuve scored his 1,000th career run on Tuesday night on an RBI single in the 7th inning by 1B José Abreu…per Elias, other than Altuve scoring himself on 194 career homers, SS Carlos Correa (96 RBI), 3B Alex Bregman (68 RBI), 1B Yuli Gurriel (62 RBI) and DH Evan Gattis (47 RBI) are the all-time leaders in scoring Altuve in his illustrious career.
ABREU’S REBOUND: 1B José Abreu has rebounded after a tough first couple months in an Astros uniform to post a .327 (16×49) average with three doubles, three homers, 13 RBI and a .918 OPS in 12 games in June…Abreu ranks tied for second in the AL in RBI this month and sixth in OPS…in his last five games, Abreu has three homers and 10 RBI.
TONIGHT’S ASTROS STARTER: RHP CRISTIAN JAVIER
W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2023: 7-1 3.13 13 13 74.2 60 27 26 19 74
CAREER: 27-13 3.06 91 57 394.0 252 133 129 142 452
vs. WAS W-L ERA G GS IP H R ER BB SO
2022: 0-1 17.18 1 1 3.2 8 7 7 3 5
LAST START – 6/9 AT CLE: allowed a season-high tying 4 runs on 7 hits with a season-high tying 3 walks with a season-low 2 strikeouts in 5.0 innings…over his last 7 starts, he’s recorded a 2.85 ERA (13ER/41IP) with 12 walks, 39 strikeouts, a 1.00 WHIP and a .199 opponent batting average…the Astros have gone 6-1 during that stretch with Javier earning 5 of those victories.
ABOUT JAVIER: dynamic starter is making his 14th start of the season…the Astros have gone 10-3 in Javier’s 13 starts this season and are 16-3 in Javier’s last 19 starts dating back to Aug. 31, 2022…in his those 19 starts, he’s recorded a 2.50 ERA (30ER/108IP) with 118 strikeouts, a 0.96 WHIP and a .192 opponent batting average.
INVISIBALL: has held opponents to a .186 average (252×1352) throughout his MLB career… it’s the lowest opponent’s batting average (min. 375 IP) of any MLB pitcher since entering the league in ‘20…the next-closest players are MIL Corbin Burnes (.197) and MIL Brandon Woodruff (.206).
LEAGUE LEADERBOARD: in the AL, he ranks 11th in WHIP (1.06), 11th in opponent average (.218), 11th in ERA (3.13) and 13th in strikeout to walk ratio (3.89)
VS. THE NATIONALS: has made 1 start against the Nationals…in that start on May 14, 2022 at Washington, he allowed 7 runs on 8 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
