Astros Crawfish Boil: September 1, 2023

Welcome to the Friday Boil!

Houston Astros News

Astros’ Reggie Jackson says his Dodge Hellcat was stolen (chron.com)

‘We’re built to win championships’: Red-hot Astros sweep Red Sox (mlb.com)

Michael Brantley already in vintage form ahead of Houston return (chron.com)

3 pending free agents the Astros need to let walk and 1 they need to keep (climbingtalshill)

Astros look to stay hot as they open series vs. Yankees (deadspin.com)

MLB playoffs pnbound: Rangers and Astros continue race for the AL West division crown (trintonian.com)

As calendar hits September, last-place Yankees just another team in Astros’ way (houstonchronicle.com)

AL West News

Watch: Mayor Sheng Thao discusses future of Oakland A’s (nbcbayarea.com)

Q&A: What do you want to know about the Oakland Athletics’ move to Las Vegas? (ktnv.com)

Athletics play the Angels in first of 3-game series (caledonianrecord.com)

Angels call up #6 prospect Kyren Paris to bolster Shohei Ohtani-led roster (clutchpoints.com)

In the wild, wild AL West, the Rangers aren’t satisfied just to be there (washingtonpost.com)

Meditation, mantras and ... toilets? The mental game of Josh Jung (mlb.com)

Seattle Mariners & Texas Rangers highlight the 3 biggest winners & losers of August | Flippin’ Bats (madrastribune.com)

Mariners find themselves in rare spot entering September: 1st place (sports.mynorthwest.com)

MLB News (mlb.com)

By the numbers: A look at Acuña’s jaw-dropping season thus far

9 bold predictions for the season’s final month

Mookie hits 2 homers, including No. 250, in opening showdown with Acuña

What it means to be in 1st place entering September

Analyzing the 6 players claimed off waivers on Thursday

Don’t count out this ace in NL Cy Young race

9 prospects who could help teams down the stretch

Astros Minors

Woodpeckers Split Doubleheader in Kannapolis | Woodpeckers (milb.com)

Hot Rods pitching throws 14 strikeouts as they beat the Tourists 4-3

Hooks Plate Five in Ninth, Riders Hold for Win

Eulogy

The Chicago White Sox seem poised to be the third domino to fall, but they’re still clinging to life. If Minnesota loses 24 of their last 28, and the Sox win 22 of their last 28, and the Guardians win no more than 10 of their last 28, and the Tigers go below .500 for the rest of the way, then Chicago will be in. Pretty tall order.

Houston Astros Birthdays

Friday

LHP Pat House (83) played in 24 games for the 1967 and 1968 Astros. He struck out eight batters in 20 ¹⁄₃ innings, with a 1.475 WHIP and a 2.96 FIP.

LHP Dean Stone’s (1930-2018) major league career, which started in 1953 and ended in 1963, just slightly overlapped Houston’s existence in MLB. In 1962, he was part of the Colt .45’s opening day roster, as their number three starter. He couldn’t have started much better, tossing back-to-back shutouts on April 12 and 19 against the Chicago Cubs. In 15 appearances in total, including seven starts, Stone was 3-2 with a 4.47 ERA and 31 K’s in 52 ¹⁄₃ innings. In late-June, the Colts traded him to the Chicago White Sox for Russ Kemmerer.

Saturday

None? Yeah. None. Weird.

Sunday

LHP Troy Patton (38) started his eventual six-season MLB career with the 2007 Astros, for whom he pitched 12 ²⁄₃ innings and struck out eight with a 3.55 ERA.

LF Luis Gonzalez (56) began his 19-season big league career in 1990 with the Astros, and played with them until partway through the 1995 season and again in 1997. In 745 games, he hit .266/.335/.417 with 62 jacks and 366 RBI. He also stole 63 bases, but he probably shouldn’t have, with a success rate of just 58 percent.

OF Dave Clark (61) closed out his 13-season career with the Astros in 1998. In 93 games he hit .206.

SS/LF Alan Bannister (72) played nine of his 913 career major league games with the 1984 Astros. He went four-for-20 with a pair of doubles.