Welcome to the Monday Boil.
Somehow, the Houston Astros sit within striking distance of the division-leading Seattle Mariners.
With a four-game sweep over Seattle, the Astros could conceivably reach the AL West division-lead this week. As hard as it seems to believe, they sit just 3 1⁄2 games behind first place (and only a half-game behind second). When did the AL West become the worst division in baseball?
Houston Astros News
Blanco comes back strong, cruises through 7 in win vs. A’s
Astros RHP day-to-day with forearm discomfort (YB)
Former Houston Astros All-Star Placed On Toronto Blue Jays Trade Block (SI)
Astros’ outfielder Joey Loperfido optioned to Triple-A (Click2Houston)
AL West News
Mariners: Seattle Mariners lead AL West standings, but this isn’t sustainable (USA Today)
Rangers: Phillies try to keep home win streak going, host the Rangers (Y!)
Angels: Angels slugger suffers what might be baseball’s most bizarre injury of season (Yb)
Athletics: Tropicana Las Vegas Demolition (Bluefield Daily Telegraph)
MLB News
Power Rankings: Hottest team in baseball cracks Top 5 (We’re 15th)
Reigning MVP Acuña will miss rest of season with torn ACL
‘It’s just fun baseball’: Lively, Giménez fuel Guards’ 9th straight win
‘He’s an ace’: Bradish’s 7 no-hit frames help O’s sweep White Sox
Xander Bogaerts’ Shoulder Fracture Adds to His Rough Season (FG)
‘Cosmic Baseball’ to illuminate the game like never before
Reds sweep Dodgers: ‘Hopefully, this is the shift we needed’
The Braves Are Running Out of Time (FG)
Brewers-Red Sox benches empty after heated exchange
Houston Astros Birthdays
1B Jeff Bagwell (56) sits atop the Houston Astros all-tie leaderboard with 449 home runs. He’s currently part of the management team.
RHP Eudy Liriano (20) is 5-1 with a 4.94 ERA and 21 k’s in 23 1⁄3 minor league innings. He’s currently with the DSL Astros Blue.