The Astros are leaning on a fresh arm to try to stop the slide.
Houston announced that Ethan Pecko will make his major league debut Wednesday at 23 years old, with the club looking for him to help set the tone on the mound after a rough stretch that has left the team in danger of slipping under .500 and losing control of the top of the AL West.
To clear space for Pecko, the Astros transferred Brice Matthews to the 60-Day IL and optioned Miguel Ullola back to Triple-A. Matthews has been out with a severe left knee sprain after a collision with the wall on July 12, so his move does not change the immediate picture much. Ullola’s return to the minors is more surprising, though he has been good in three of his four appearances since his big-league debut, so his absence may not last long.
The lineup is getting shuffled too. Joe Espada is mixing things up behind the rookie starter, and that means Daulton Varsho and Yainer Diaz will both sit Wednesday. Varsho has been scuffling hard lately, going 3-for-27 over his last seven games for a .111 average and a sub-.285 OPS, so the day off fits the recent production.
Houston’s bigger problem is the overall lack of rhythm. The pitching and the offense keep taking turns disappearing, and the club is coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night.
The Astros have dropped three straight and are 3-6 over their last nine games. Another loss would put them back in the loss column, something they cannot afford right now.
For a team searching for any kind of spark, Pecko gets the first crack at providing one.
In Other News...
Astros Suddenly Have A Yordan And Altuve Problem To Watch
The Astros spent part of a recent game against the Angels watching two of their most important bats head to the dugout and stay there. Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve both left and did not return, with the team framing the moves as precautionary and, at least initially, offering no sign of anything more serious than a short-term concern.
Even so, this is exactly the sort of situation Houston cannot afford to shrug off in the middle of a tight American League West race. Alvarez and Altuve are central to the lineup and to the clubs overall margin for error, so the Astros will be monitoring both closely in the coming days while hoping the early read holds up. [Read more 🡒]
Yainer Diaz Carries A Pregame Reminder Astros Fans Will Feel
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Diaz has credited Issael with helping pull him back to baseball after he had walked away from the game as a youth, and that motivation has followed him all the way to Houston. Signed by Cleveland as an international free agent in 2016 and traded to the Astros in 2021, he reached the majors in 2022 and followed with a breakout 2023, but the pregame reminder shows the story behind the rise is still very close to him. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Avoided The Jeremy Pea Scare They Couldnt Afford
Jeremy Pea gave the Astros a brief jolt of concern after his right hand forced the club to take a closer look, but the early read was encouraging. Manager Joe Espada said an MRI showed no structural damage, and Pea is still dealing with soreness while the team monitors how he responds in the days ahead.
For Houston, the timing matters just as much as the diagnosis. Pea has become a key contributor over his 79 games this season, and the Astros can ill afford to lose another regular for any meaningful stretch. The expectation now is that he will avoid an injured list stint, leaving the club to hope the discomfort fades quickly and does not linger into the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]