Game 90 Thread, July 10, 2021, 6:15 CDT. Yankees @ Astros

The Astros are still far and away the best hitting team in the AL with a 120 wRC+. But judging from the last week or two you’d never know it.

For the last seven days, the Astros wRC+ is 74, 12th in the AL. The batting average is only .200, exactly Mendoza line, good for 13th. They are also 13th in runs at 21.

For the last two weeks, it’s scarcely better. An 82 wRC+ rated fourteenth.

Kyle Tucker, Chas McCormick, Yordan Alvarez and Myles Straw can't be blamed, all hitting over .300 during this 7-day stretch.

But Yuli Gurriel, Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa (out on “health” protocol), Abraham Toro, Michael Brantley, Robel Garcia, and Jason Castro are all hitting between .100 and .200.

OK, Enough slump. Time to wake up the bats in the remaining two games with the Yankees and before the All-Star Break and get the Big Orange Wagon rolling again.

Luckily good pitching has kept the Astros in games this last week. The 3.63 ERA for the last seven days is 3rd in the AL. And the bullpen for one week at least has been great! Their 1.96 ERA is #1 in the AL.

A classic pitcher’s duel in today’s game. Two possible future Hall of Famers face off. Former Astro Gerrit Cole faces the Astros’ venerable ace Zack Greinke.

It will be interesting to see how the crowd reacts to Cole. And considering his horrible results since the MLB crackdown on sticky substances, it will be interesting to see if he can right the ship. If he can’t right the ship against the white cold Astros, minus top hitter Carlos Correa, Alex Bregman, and Aledmys Diaz, he’s in real trouble.

Here’s the lineup for today’s game.

Media Access

Game 2: Saturday, July 10th @ 6:15 pm CDT
Listen: Yankees - WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 / Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLAT 1010
Watch: FOX