Welcome to the Friday Boil!
It’s Framberday.
F-R—A-M-B—E-R-V—NIGHT!
Good morning and welcome to the week-daily Crawfish Boil, where Astros fans can complain about their favorite team. Complimenting your favorite team is frowned upon ‘round these parts, do so at your own risk. Also, it’s Framber-Day, and at least we don’t have to see the mighty Reds again this season.
Houston Astros News
Astros can’t get the big hit, wasting latest Brown gem
Alex Bregman’s extension chances, Justin Verlander’s struggles and more: Astros mailbag (NY Times)
Astros tormentor drops confident take after Reds win (ClutchPoints)
Astros: Observations from Reds series and looking ahead to Diamondbacks (Houston Chronicle)
AL West News
A’s: A’s Designate Janson Junk For Assignment (MLBTR)
M’s: Jerry Dipoto Expected To Continue As Mariners Baseball Ops President In 2025 (MLBTR)
Halos: Angels fall to Rangers, clinching 9th straight losing season (Whittier Daily News)
Blarts: The Closer You Stand, the Scarier Josh Smith Gets (FG)
MLB News
Padres slammed in the 9th, miss chance to gain ground
Dumping old, injured pitchers in 2023 set Mets up for success in 2024 (YB)
Offensive outbursts — and 1 blazing fastball — highlight wild week of stats
A new curse? Aaron Judge slumping since appearance on children’s show (YB)
Unlikely winner of Chapman deal? The best remaining free-agent 3B
Braves lose ‘frustrating’ finale, fall back into tie for 3rd WC spot
Corbin Carroll Has Powered Up (FG)
Spencer 2: Judgment Day (FG — the “other” Spencer(s))
Player’s View: The Games (In Other Sports) We Have To Miss (FG)
Houston Astros Birthdays
Friday
RHP Shawn Dubin (29) has pitched to a 3.64 FIP over 52 1⁄3 innings pitching for Houston between last season and this one.
Saturday
OF David Newhan (51) finished with a .701 OPS in 2008 for the Astros, spanning 64 appearances.
OF Willie Crawford (1946-2004) hit .254 in 42 games in 1977, the final year of his 14-season MLB career.
CF Jacob Melton (24) has a .790 OPS over 214 minor league appearances, starting in 2022.
Sunday
RHP Gerrit Cole (34) was 35-10 with a 2.68 ERA over two All-Star (non-WS Champion) seasons in 2018 and 2019. He didn’t win the Cy Young Award, but he did strike out a mind-boggling 13.1 batters per nine over 65 starts, comprising 412 2⁄3 innings. He also had a 0.962 WHIP.
RHP Ken Forsch (78) played 421 games for Houston, including 153 starts between 1970 and 1980. He was 78-81 with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.250 WHIP.
SS Alejandro Nunez (20) is hitting .249 in 101 games this season between the Fayetteville Woodpeckers and the Asheville Tourists.
2B Yamal Encarnacion (21) has a .665 OPS between the Peckers, the Tourists, and the Corpus Christi Hooks this season.
LHP Brandon Walter (28) was recently released from the Boston Red Sox organization and signed with Houston three weeks ago. Currently on the IL, he’s rostered at the Triple-A level with the Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
Joe Espada said the hope is Kyle Tucker can be activated tomorrow. The Astros are gauging how Tucker recovers from his pregame work here the last few days.
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) September 5, 2024