Astros Crawfish Boil: Monday, March 27, 2023

Here’s your Monday Boil!

In yesterday’s final non-intra-organizational Spring Training game, the Houston Astros topped the St. Louis Cardinals by a final score of 24-1. Three touchdowns and a field goal, to an...extra point. Tonight, they’ll visit Constellation Field in Sugar Land to take on the Space Cowboys in the first game of a home-and-home series. Will tomorrow’s Astros have a snowball’s chance in Texas against today’s?

Houston Astros News

As camp closes, Astros still have decisions to make (mlb.com)

Astros have five roster spots open. Who are the candidates? (houstonchronicle.com)

Mattress Mack running it back with $1.9 million Astros World Series bet (nypost.com)

Best bets: 2023 Houston Astros World Series odds, win total and more (sportsbookwire.usatoday.com)

Spring training roundup: Astros pound Cardinals 24-1 (deadspin.com)

Could this undrafted FA make Astros’ roster? (mlb.com)

Houston Astros hope to break ground on connected hotel, entertainment center in the fall (bizjournals.com)

Reggie Jackson explains why he joined Astros after decades with Yankees (chron.com)

AL West News

Mariners’ Gilbert: Team’s ‘momentum’ for 2023, impact of new rule changes (sports.mynorthwest.com)

Mariners Return Chris Clarke to Cubs; Release OF Kole Calhoun (marinersblog.mlblogs.com)

No joy in Mudville as Mariners’ press box moves to smaller digs (seattletimes.com)

Texas Rangers decide fate of former Yankees OF Clint Frazier (nj.com)

Texas Rangers armed and ready to make playoff push. What about Angels? (news.yahoo.com)

Dodgers among most expensive MLB teams to root for; Angels among the cheapest (ktla.com)

A’s Place Drew Rucinski, Kirby Snead on IL (si.com, sorry)

The A’s had the Giants so confused when they ran off the field after the second out of an inning (ftw.usatoday.com)

MLB News

Sunday Notes: On KC’s Roster Bubble, Matt Duffy Ponders a Front Office Future (blogs.fangraphs.com)

Rhys Is in Pieces, and the Phillies Are Left To Pick Them Up (blogs.fangraphs.com)

The one player each team just can’t live without (mlb.com)

Gurriel expected to make Miami’s roster: ‘He’s a winning baseball player’ (mlb.com)

Royals target mental health with history-making hire (mlb.com)

Tune up for the season with free games on MLB.TV (mlb.com)

Astros Birthdays

Saturday

RHP Mike Nagy (75) had a six-year MLB career starting in 1969, when he finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year Award voting after going 12-2 with a 3.11 ERA for the Boston Red Sox. In 1974, his final season, he came into nine games in relief for the Astros, posting an 8.53 ERA and a 1.737 WHIP.

Righty reliever Phil Maton (30) made his debut in 2017 with the San Diego Padres, and later pitched for the Cleveland Indians. In mid-2021, he joined the Astros via the Myles Straw trade, and has since pitched in 94 games for Houston. He’s 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA, 97 K’s in 91 innings, and a 1.352 WHIP. And he also had an immaculate inning...

Sunday

Right-handed starter Cristian Javier (26) is about to start his fourth major league season, all with the Astros. He’s gone 20-12 with a 3.05 ERA and 378 whiffs in 304 ¹⁄₃ innings. He has a 1.035 career WHIP and started two combined no-hitters last season, including the one in the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. This guy is one of the most accurate pitchers I’ve ever seen.

Right-handed starting pitcher Shane Reynolds (54) played the first 11 seasons of his 13 season major league career with the Astros from 1992 through 2002. He went 103-86 with a 3.95 ERA, 1309 K’s in 1622 ¹⁄₃ innings, and a 1.292 WHIP.

Eighteen-year MLB vet José Vizcaíno (55) spent 2001 through the middle of 2005 with the Houston Astros. A utility infielder by trade, Vizcaíno specialized at shortstop. With Houston, he appeared in 559 games, and batted .276/.316/.369 with 13 homers and 133 RBI. And there was this...

Today

Current Texas Ranger Jake Odorizzi (33) pitched a season-and-a-half for the Astros in 2021 and 2022. He went 10-10 with a 4.04 ERA, 137 strikeouts in 164 ²⁄₃ innings, and a 1.215 WHIP.