Astros Crawfish Boil: August 31, 2023

Welcome to the Astros Thursday Crawfish Boil.

Houston Astros News

MLB roundup: Astros complete first sweep in Boston (sportsnaut.com)

Astros act of kindness: Alex Bregman delivers team gear to 5-year-old cancer-fighting fan Braxton Castillo (abc13.com)

Astros: Ryan Pressly drops savage reminder to rest of MLB after sweeping Red Sox (clutchpoints.com)

Framber Valdez helps Astros to 7-4 win over Red Sox and first sweep at Fenway Park (idahopress.com)

Astros Earning Sweep At Fenway Park ‘Kick In Gut’ To Red Sox (nesn.com)

Astros’ Alex Bregman to work a shift at Raising Cane’s in west Houston (click2houston.com)

Astros insider: With Michael Brantley back, lineup appears whole again (houstonchronicle.com)

AL West News

Mariners close series with late rally, hand A’s 5-4 loss (sports.yahoo.com)

August was fun, but September will be most exciting month for Mariners (unionbulletin.com)

When Jose Canseco’s 40-40 feat secured him a $23,500,000 deal with Oakland Athletics (sportskeeda.com)

A’s stardom in past, Canseco eyeing business venture in Las Vegas (ktnv.com)

Stewart lifts Mets to 6-5, 10-inning win that drops Rangers into 3rd in AL West (nbcdfw.com)

Marcus Semien’s words of leadership prove Rangers are his team now (dallasnews.com)

Los Angeles Angels waive six players, prioritize luxury tax savings over competing on the field (abc10.com)

What the Angels’ waiver moves mean, and don’t mean, for their future plans (theathletic.com)

MLB News

‘This lineup is ridiculous’: Braves set new franchise single-season homer record

‘Freddie Dance’ sends LA to 24th win this month

Epic August needed to unseat Ohtani atop Hitter Power Rankings

Kyle Freeland has seen the light. And has apologized to it

Griffey points his camera at soccer legend Lionel Messi

Each team’s hottest-hitting prospect over the past month

Martian landing? Yankees set to call up Domínguez

Houston Astros Birthdays

RHP Austin Pruitt (34) was a University of Houston alum who made his way back to the Astros for two games in 2021. He gave up two homers in 2 ²⁄₃ innings, but has recently caught on with the Oakland Athletics.

RHP Ronel Blanco (30) has appeared in 24 games for the Astros between last season and this one, starting seven times. In 58 ¹⁄₃ innings he’s struck out 59 and held onto a 1.526 WHIP and a 4.78 ERA.

RHP Tom Dukes (81) pitched out of the bullpen 60 times for the 1967 and 1968 Astros, going 2-4 with a 4.60 ERA. He racked up 60 strikeouts in 76 ¹⁄₃ innings, and held his opponents to a 1.651 WHIP.