The Astros are on track to have one of their most successful seasons in team history when it comes to starting pitching, which is remarkable when you consider some of the other tremendous pitching staffs and arms the club has employed during its history. Prior to Tuesday's game, when ace Justin Verlander took the mound against the White Sox, Astros starting pitchers had a 3.10 ERA -- that ranked as fourth-best in team history for a season. It trails only the 1981 team (2.43 ERA), the 1968 team (3.05) and the 1986 team (3.06), which was led by a dominating Cy Young winner in Mike Scott. This year's team had used only six starters before Lance McCullers Jr. came off the injured list Saturday and threw six scoreless innings. José Urquidy, Framber Valdez and Verlander have started 22 games, Luis Garcia has started 21 games and Cristian Javier 18. Entering Tuesday, Houston starters led the AL in ERA, innings (684 1/3), strikeouts (655), opponents' OPS (.623), average (.214), WHIP (1.07) and quality starts (69). The Mariners were next closest with 56 quality starts. "Once you're in the middle of a rotation, there is no, 'Who's No. 1, who's No. 2?'" Verlander said. "You're just one of five or six guys. To have the ability for an organization to be so deep you can bring in a guy like Lance, who was one of the best pitchers in baseball last year, and put him back in the rotation on a team that has already been successful is just such a boost and a morale boost in the clubhouse. Very happy to have him back." |
Verlander, who made one start in 2020 and missed all last season following Tommy John surgery, called the return of McCullers "wonderful." "When I wasn't here the last couple of years and not being around the team, I know [from] talking to guys that he carried guys," Verlander said. "He carried the starting staff and was a great leader for a lot of young guys that we had. I know all those guys, including myself, are very happy to have him back in the rotation." Verlander's influence on the rotation can't be overstated, either. He says he leads by example and is always open to being a sounding board for young pitchers on the staff. Verlander said the success of Valdez, Urquidy and Javier -- three under-the-radar international signings who weren't considered top prospects -- is a nod to the system and culture the Astros have created when it comes to pitching. "I think that this locker room and the players in here, we expect guys to be their best version of themselves and we all hold each other accountable and help each other improve day in and day out," he said. "I try to lead by example. I try to talk to the young guys. They know I'm available whenever." Verlander said when he was away from the team in '21, McCullers was able to fill that role, as well. "That kind of atmosphere just helps everybody feel a bit more comfortable at this level, and on the other side of that, you can't help but learn," he said. "Watch Lance McCullers pitch the last couple of years. How do you not learn from that? Watch guys pitch that have done it for a long time and talk to them about it. I know Lance is doing it and I make a point to do it, so when I see something a guy can improve on, I go out of my way to try to talk to them about it. I think you put all of that together and it allows guys to be more successful, hopefully quicker than if they were to have to figure it out on their own." |
About those other great pitching staffs … The '81 team had a pair of future Hall of Famers in the rotation -- Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton, along with knuckleballer Joe Niekro, who was terrific. Lefty Bob Knepper had one of the best seasons of his career, too. The 1968 season was known as the "Year of the Pitcher," with Dave Giusti, Larry Dierker, Denny Lemaster, Don Wilson and Mike Cuellar making all but 10 of Houston's starts that year. In 1986, Scott struck out 306 batters in 275 1/3 innings with a 2.22 ERA en route to the National League Cy Young Award. Knepper (3.14 ERA) made 38 starts and threw 258 innings, Ryan (3.34 ERA) struck out 194 in 178 innings and rookie Jim Deshaies (12-5, 3.25 ERA) was a find. What's surprising is the 2019 team – with Verlander and Gerrit Cole finishing 1-2 in the AL Cy Young race – ranks just 21st in club history with a 3.61 ERA. Wade Miley was having a terrific season before he fell apart in September, and Zack Greinke was held to 10 starts, acquired in a July 31 trade from Arizona. Brad Peacock, Collin McHugh, Valdez and Urquidy were among 14 pitchers who started games that season. |
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TRIVIA Monday marked the 10th anniversary of the most recent perfect game in Major League history -- Félix Hernández against the Rays on Aug. 15, 2012. It was the 23rd perfect game in history and the sixth in a four-season span from 2009-12. One of those was thrown against the Astros, when Matt Cain of the Giants did it on June 13, 2012, in San Francisco. Who made the final out for the Astros? A.) Jason Castro B.) Jose Altuve C.) Brett Wallace D.) J.D. Martinez |
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| "I'm going to have to really be careful and make sure I don't spectate and manage. If it was at home, I'd get me a bowl of popcorn and some beer, and the only time I would leave was if there were a commercial or in between innings." -- Dusty Baker on the anticipation of Tuesday's matchup between Verlander and White Sox righty Dylan Cease |
The Astros welcomed 3,500 residents from Uvalde, Texas, to Minute Maid Park for Sunday's game against the A's, including 500 from the community who were directly impacted by the school shooting at Robb Elementary on May 24. They traveled to Houston on 10 charter buses and were able to have a pregame question-and-answer session with Baker, McCullers Jr., Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, among other special events. Read more about this memorable day. |
Joey Loperfido was named the South Atlantic League Player of the Week at High-A Asheville. Loperfido, the Astros' seventh-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, went 8-for-17 last week with three doubles, two homers and four RBIs in five games. He slashed .304/.399/.473 with nine homers and 45 RBIs at Single-A Fayetteville before being promoted to Asheville, where he was 12-for-30 with two homers and eight RBIs in his first nine games. Loperfido has split time at all three outfield spots, as well as first base and second base. |
THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY Aug. 16, 2011 |
Brian Bogusevic belts a walk-off grand slam to beat the Cubs, 6-5, at Minute Maid Park and snap a seven-game losing skid. The homer, which came off Carlos Marmol, was the second of Bogusevic's career and scored J.B. Shuck, Clint Barmes and Matt Downs. |
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TRIVIA ANSWER A.) Jason Castro |
Castro pinch-hit for pitcher Xavier Cedeño and grounded out to third base for Cain's 27th consecutive out. |
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