It’s the one we’ve been waiting for.
Starting tonight, the Astros open up a nine-game homestand with three against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers are visiting the Astros for their only series this season, with three games starting tonight at 7:10 PM CT. Here are the gametimes and projected starting pitchers.
Friday, 7:10 PM CT: Gavin Stone (9-3, 3.19) vs. Framber Valdez (8-5, 3.63)
Saturday, 6:10 PM CT: Justin Wrobleski (0-1, 4.40) vs. Ronel Blanco (9-5, 2.75)
Sunday, 1:10 PM CT: TBD vs. Spencer Arrighetti (4-8, 5.65)
Houston last faced the Dodgers last season at Dodger Stadium for three games. Los Angeles won the first two before Houston salvaged the finale, 6-5 in 11 frames. After the game was tied at four after nine and each team brought one run home in the 10th, Alex Bregman stepped up in the 11th to drive home Mauricio Dubón with the eventual game winner. Ryan Pressly (2-2, 2.97) got the win, and Seth Martinez pitched a perfect bottom of the 11th for his first career save. Hunter Brown posted a Quality Start, allowing one run and striking out seven over six innings. Jose Abreu and Corey Julks led Houston’s offense with a pair of hits each.
I was talking to [my bats] in English, and they don’t understand English — Abreu
Historically, Houston owns a 329-396 record against the Dodgers, a .454 winning percentage that ranks as their worst against a National League opponent. In the postseason, each team has six victories against the other, with the Dodgers winning three-of-five in the 1981 NLDS and the Astros taking the 2017 World Series in seven.
Houston is coming off a 3-3 road trip, capping it off with an 8-1 win over the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. The victory meant that Houston will forever be the only American League road team to have earned a winning record in the Oakland Coliseum, closing up the all-time series at 55-54. Hunter Brown (9-6, 4.00) earned the win, striking out eight against one run over six innings. Chas McCormick (4) hit a single and a homer, and was joined by Jose Altuve (three singles) and Alex Bregman (single, double) with multiple hits.
This is my last at-bat ever here. It ended in a walk. I loved it. I hadn’t walked in a long time, so I couldn’t have been happier with that result. I need to start walking more, so it’s a good way to end. — Bregman
The Bridegrooms just took three-of-four from the San Francisco Giants out of Dodgers Stadium. In the final game, a 6-4 LA victory, Shohei Ohtani (31) hit a double and a homer, while Clayton Kershaw made his long anticipated seasonal debut, allowing two runs over four innings. He gave up six hits and also struck out six.
It’s been such a long road for him back and I’m just happy for him. I’m happy for his family, and for the fans who get to see one of the greats. — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts
Standings
Houston Astros: 53-49, .520, first place in the AL West, seventh best record in the American League, tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for 13th in MLB. On pace to go 84-78. FG projects 85-77, with a 59.4 percent chance at making the postseason and a 4.4 percent chance of winning another World Series. Last 10: WWLLWWLLLW
Los Angeles Dodgers: 62-42, .596, first place in the NL West, second best record in the National League, fourth best in MLB. On pace to go 97-65. FG projects 94-68, with a 99.4 percent chance of making the playoffs and a 16.3 percent chance of winning it all. Last 10: WLLWWWWWLW
For a lot of us, this was the one we’ve been waiting for. I listened to Locked on Dodgers after they were eliminated from the playoffs last year, and the host was still blaming Houston for their hardships. I wonder if they’ll ever just admit that Houston, although they were cheating, played better when they didn’t cheat. There’s empirical evidence that the Astros’ output was worse when they used the trashcans.
Let that sink in. Houston may have performed better if they hadn’t cheated.
I just hate that they did, because there isn’t an excuse for it, and no amount of false equivalency or faulty justification will steer a rational mind around it — nor should it.
Houston’s mistakes and subsequent World Series Title in 2017 is now part of baseball history, for better or for worse. Never mind that later on, the Dodgers were also accused of cheating.
After all is considered, it remains academic. We don’t play in the past (unless you have OOTP). The biggest thing that matters now is the next game, and the one after that, and so on. How do you think Houston’s going to perform over this weekend?