Astros Crawfish Boil: June 20, 2023

Welcome to the Tuesday Boil!

Houston Astros News

$86,000,000 New York Mets’ Struggling Ace Gets a Taste of His 2022 Success With a $15,000 Memento From Former Team (essentiallysports.com)

Mets finally get a vintage start from one of their aces (risingapple.com)

Mets reliever Grant Hartwig delivers in big league debut after spurning med school (nypost.com)

Houston Astros’ Hunter Brown riding rookie season roller coaster (houstonchronicle.com)

Astros get ‘beat up pretty good’ as losing streak hits 5, division deficit grows (theathletic.com)

Four Astros Prospects Make Massive Move Up Top-30 Rankings (si.com)

AL West News

Probable pitchers as Yankees limp home to host Mariners (elitesportsny.com)

Mariners hit rock bottom at this time last season before getting hot. What does rest of 2023 have in store? (yakimaherald.com)

M’s finally use simpler approach for key runs in victory over White Sox (spokesman.com)

The Texas Rangers are MLB’s only team without a Pride Night. That’s unlikely to change (theathletic.com)

Chris Young explains how Leody Taveras’ success has helped top of Rangers’ lineup (dallasnews.com)

Rangers hold on for win over slumping White Sox (sportsnaut.com)

The Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani is a talented hitter and pitcher (npr.com)

Dodgers aim to end skid in matchup with the Angels (mymotherlode.com)

Angels get more bad injury news on Anthony Rendon (larrybrownsports.com)

Don’t move Oakland A’s to Las Vegas (sfchronicle.com)

Melvin ‘sad’ about A’s potential relocation from Oakland (nbcsportsbayarea.com)

A’s relocation: Oakland to host team through 2024 season, before Vegas ballpark is ready (marca.com)

MLB News

Shohei Ohtani to Dodgers? MLB players predict top free agent will sign with Los Angeles (theathletic.com)

Mike Yastrzemski hits walk-off home run in Giants’ win (mlb.com)

White Sox sign boy battling cancer to honorary one-day contract (mlb.com)

Joey Votto returns for 2023 debut (mlb.com)

Picking ideal 2023 MLB Home Run Derby field: Julio Rodríguez, Elly De La Cruz and six more sluggers (cbssports.com)

Luis Arraez gets five hits as Marlins win fifth straight (mlb.com)

Rays Re-Sign Chris Muller To Minor League Deal (mlbtraderumors.com)

Houston Astros Birthdays

Dickie Thon (65) played seven of his 15 MLB seasons with the Houston Astros, from 1981 through 1987. In 1983 he took home the National League Silver Slugger Award at shortstop and made the All-Star Team. In 566 games he hit .270/.329/.395 with 33 homers and 172 RBI. He also stole 94 bases.

Paul Bako (51) played for 11 teams over a 12-season MLB career. In 1999 (and one plate appearance in 2000) he appeared in 74 games at catcher for the Astros. He hit .253/.329/.355 with a pair of homers and 17 RBI. The slugging percentage was his highest mark achieved with any team, as was his .684 OPS.

Carlos Lee (47) played in 815 games for the Astros between 2007 and 2012, with a .286/.338/.479 line and 133 jacks with 533 RBI. A left-fielder, Lee earned the NL Silver Slugger and an All-Star invitation in 2007.