Astros Crawfish Boil: October 20, 2023

Welcome to the end-of-the-week Boil!

With somewhere between eight and 14 games left in the Major League’s 2023 campaign, the Astros have tied things with the Rangers up, and the Diamondbacks finally struck back against the Phillies.

Houston Astros News

Abreu goes DEEP to cap Astros’ go-ahead 4-run 4th

Astros rock Rangers early, often to pull even in ALCS

Houston Astros continue their success on the road with their 10-3 ALCS Game 4 win | Flippin’ Bats (Fox Sports)

Texas Rangers fans send signals to Houston Astros (Auburn Citizen)

Bad blood? The rivalry between the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers (WFAA)

Astros vs. Rangers: Explaining rally-busting replayed tag call on Marcus Semien’s batting glove in back pocket (CBS Sports)

AL West News

ALCS all tied up after Rangers stumble at home again

Rangers headed wrong way again with Game 4 loss as Astros even ALCS (NY Daily News)

Streaky Rangers have returned in ALCS, for better or worse (Dallas Morning News)

The Texas Rangers did not lose to the Houston Astros because of a roof, or an umpire (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)

Shohei Ohtani documentary to stream on Disney+ and ESPN+ (AsAmNews()

Shohei Ohtani Rumors: Writer Predicts Dodgers Sign Two-Way Star to 8-Year Deal (Dodgers Nation)

Oakland group, co-founders that want to redevelop Coliseum site face lawsuit (The Business Journals

Mariners were cheap once again and didn’t sign Trevor May... despite him wanting to play in Seattle (BVM Sports)

Julio Rodríguez Had a Very Strange Sophomore Season + Mariners Outfield Grades KCEN TV)

MLB News

Suárez keeping Koufax company on postseason ERA list

Hall of Fame announces 8-person ballot for next Era Committee vote

Pfaadt delivers career start at perfect time, silencing potent Phils

Big hit eludes Phillies in tight Game 3 walk-off loss

Phillies vs. D-backs NLCS Game 4 FAQ (Friday, 8 ET, TBS)

From boos to cheers: Why Lovullo’s hook of Pfaadt made sense

Houston Astros Birthdays

Friday

RHP José Veras (43) pitched 76 times in relief for Houston in 2013 and 2014. He was 4-4 with 20 saves, a 2.97 ERA and 81 K’s in 75 ²⁄₃ innings, with a 1.110 WHIP.

Saturday

C Daniel Castro (20) just completed his second season in the DSL, where he has hit .199 with sporadic power, sneaky speed, and a 24 percent CS rate.

RHP Zack Grienke (40) sits 21 strikeouts short of the 3000 mark, and had a winning percentage of .655 or better with five of his six major league clubs, including Houston from 2019 through 2021. For the Astros, he was 22-10 with a 3.89 ERA over 51 starts and one relief appearance. He had a 1.141 WHIP and struck out 239 over his 300 ²⁄₃ innings with the team.

1B/LF Franklin Stubbs (63) played a career high 146 games for Houston in 1990, slashing .261/334/.475 with a 124 OPS+ and 23 jacks with 71 RBI. He also stole 19 bases and provided solid (if unremarkable) defense at two positions.

2B Keith Drumright (1954-2010) appeared for 17 games for the 1978 Astros club, going nine-for-55 at the plate.

C Ron Davis (1941-1992) caught 200 games for Houston between 1962 and 1968, where he put up a .239/.293/.345 line with 10 home runs and 70 RBI.

RHP Matt Ruppenthal (28) has yet to get to the majors. In 2023, he was 4-2 with a 6.13 ERA between Double- and Triple-A. His statline in the Arizona Fall League is very impressive. After 10 ¹⁄₃ innings, he’s struck out 15 and allowed only two hits.

Sunday

OF/IF Brian Bixler (41) played 36 games for the 2012 Astros, hitting .193 with a pair of jacks and seven RBI.

CF Gerald Young (59) appeared 605 times for Houston between 1987 and 1992, and hit .246/.330/.302 with 153 stolen bases.

LHP Frank DiPino (67) was 13-25 with a 3.65 ERA for Houston in 201 games between 1982 and 1986. DiPino struck out 233 over 291 ¹⁄₃ innings, with a 1.304 WHIP and a 3.30 FIP.

RHP Cecil Upshaw (1942-1995) came into 35 games in relief for the 1973 Astros. Over 38 ¹⁄₃ innings, he struck out 21 and pitched to a 3.74 FIP and a 1.383 WHIP.

Left-side infielder Cristian Gonzalez (22) hit .227 in 104 games for the High-A Asheville Tourists in 2022. This year, he was limited to seven appearances at the rookie level with the FCL club, where he was seven-for-25 with two home runs and five RBI.