Astros Crawfish Boil: July 4, 2023

Welcome to the Tuesday Boil!

Houston Astros

Are the Astros Trading For A Win-Now Player? (bellyupsports.com)

After tough win, Astros head home to face flagging Rockies (deadspin.com)

Houston Astros: Takeaways from the longest road trip of season (houstonchronicle.com)

Houston Astros Take Shine Off Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field Attendance Record (si.com)

Rangers-Astros didn’t go Texas’ way, but there’s no time for what-ifs (dallasnews.com)

AL West

WAR Zone: Run, run, Ruiz – Annenberg Media (uscannenbergmedia.com)

Esteury Ruiz is not the biggest thief in Oakland.

Athletics look up to Tony Kemp as veteran presence during difficult times (mercurynews.com)

Detroit Tigers Newsletter: 2003 Tigers or 2023 Athletics: Who ya got? (freep.com)

Padres: Juan Soto’s fiery warning to Shohei Ohtani ahead of San Diego-Angels clash (clutchpoints.com)

Angels’ Mickey Moniak grew up dreaming of playing at Petco Park in San Diego (whittierdailynews.com)

Baseball: Shohei Ohtani, leading in HR, named June’s AL Player of the Month (English.kyodonews.net)

Mets acquire reliever Trevor Gott from Mariners, who also unload Chris Flexen’s contract (kstp.com)

Mariners place Bryce Miller IL, Darren McCaughan, Matt Festa recalled from Tacoma (fox13seattle.com)

Baltimore Orioles Make Poor Decision with Social Media Graphic Regarding Felix Bautista (spokesman.com)

Seeking 4th straight win, Red Sox welcome Rangers to town (Reuters.com)

Texas Rangers Weekly Report: Rangers need the All-Star break now (nolanwritin.com)

Texas Rangers fans getting nervous with team having lost 15 of last 25 games: “They’ve come back down to reality” (sportskeeda.com)

MLB News

The Athletic makes seriously bold second-half prediction for Phillies (theathletic.com)

Baltimore Orioles Make Poor Decision with Social Media Graphic Regarding Felix Bautista (si.com)

Brewers Release Matt Bush (mlbtraderumors.com)

Thairo Estrada Suffers Hand Fracture (mlbtraderumors.com)

With his 40th stolen base, Acuña makes more history (mlb.com)

MVP favorites headline monthly awards for June (mlb.com)

Clayton Kershaw goes on injured list, will miss All-Star Game due to sore shoulder (usatoday.com)

Nationals, Jacob Nottingham Agree To Minor League Contract (mlbtraderumors.com)

Brewers’ Jahmai Jones has key double in first MLB appearance since ‘21 (ESPN.com)

Reds Likely To Select Brett Kennedy (mlbtraderumors.com)

Houston Astros Birthdays

Left-side infielder Vinny Castilla (56) had a 16-season major league career, spending the last three quarters of the season with the Astros. In 122 contests, he hit .270/.320/.492

RHP Dan Larson (69) played with the Astros in 1976 and 1977. In 45 games (including 23 starts), Larson was 6-15 with a 4.45 ERA. He posted a 4.08 FIP, a 1.379 WHIP, and struck out 86 batters in 190 innings.