Two (2)
Welcome to the final week of baseball’s 2024 regular season.
The Boil is mine until I hit publish, then it’s everyone’s.
Houston Astros News
Alvarez ‘not great’ after suffering knee injury in Astros’ whirlwind loss
Astros takeaways: Yusei Kikuchi’s future, a center-field conundrum and 2 playoff injuries (NY Times)
Alvarez, Hader Make Headlines In Houston Astros Loss (YB)
Houston Astros Superstar Adds Another All-Time Franchise Record to Resume (SI, not half bad)
Astros 2024: If they make it, then what? (Chipalatta)
AL West News
AL West Notes: Alvarez, Santos, Scherzer, Gamel
A’s: John Fisher is petrified of what Athletics fan base may do in final Oakland home game (FS)
M’s: The Final Push: What the Mariners are up against in last week (Seattle Sports)
Halos: Zach Neto Stands ALONE! Los Angeles Angels AVOID a 100-Loss Season, Detmers and Anderson Problems (ABC10)
Blarts: Rangers’ Max Scherzer makes 2025 vow after injury-plagued season (ClutchPoints)
MLB News
Hello, Bye: Checking in on the Races for Playoff Seeding (FG)
What’s at stake in the final week? A LOT!
White Sox join 1962 Mets with record 120 losses
Kodai Senga Shut Down For Remainder Of Regular Season (MLBTR)
Ohtani, Mookie homer back-to-back in 9th to walk off Rox
The comeback Crew! Brewers rally from 8 runs down
Game-changing HR robbery helps Tigers surge in AL Wild Card race
Reds part ways with manager Bell after six seasons
Final Power Rankings before postseason starts (tl;dr — we’re in sixth)
Houston Astros Birthdays
RHP Pete Harnisch (58) was 45-43 in 117 turns of Houston’s rotation, between 1991 and 1994. He made the All-Star Team in his first season in Houston, and notched 583 K’s in 736 frames.
C Terry McGriff (61) was 0-for-5 in four games for the 1990 Astros.
RHP Óscar Zamora (1943-2021) pitched 15 innings for the 1978 Houston team, putting up a 1.800 WHIP.
RHP Andrew Taylor (23) is on the IL for the Asheville Tourists. He was a second-round choice in 2022.