Are you ready for the Hunter Brown experience? Brown, the Astros' top-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, will be added to the Astros' roster on Friday, one day after teams can expand rosters from 26 to 28. Brown joined the Astros on Tuesday in Arlington as part of the team's taxi squad in advance of being activated. "I'm just really excited," Brown said Tuesday from Globe Life Field. "This is obviously a dream come true, but I'm ready to go to work." Brown was informed after Sunday's game for Triple-A Sugar Land at Las Vegas that he would be joining the Major League team for the first time. It was quite a birthday present for Brown, who grew up in Detroit idolizing Justin Verlander. He turned 24 on Monday as he hopped on a plane to meet the Astros in Texas. "A lot of emotion," he said. "Just happy and excited. There was a lot of work, even back to high school and college, especially this year and last year in the Minor Leagues and stuff like that." It's expected the Astros will employ the hard-throwing Brown out of their bullpen, at least initially, before perhaps giving him a start. Brown, the 71st-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline, has nothing left to prove at Triple-A, where he dominated Pacific Coast League hitters all season. |
Brown had a 2.55 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, .186 batting average against and 134 strikeouts in 106 innings in 23 games (14 starts) for Sugar Land. In preparation for his role in Houston, Brown was brought into Sunday's game in relief in the middle of an inning for the Space Cowboys. He came out firing at 99-plus mph and threw 3 1/3 hitless innings. "They told me I was coming out of the 'pen and it was probably unlikely I would get a clean inning," Brown said. "Luckily, Jon Olczak was rolling in his first Minor League start. I came in with nobody on. It was the first mid-inning [relief appearance] of the season for me. It was a little different, but it was cool." Despite ace pitcher Verlander landing on the injured list Tuesday, the Astros still have five quality big league starters with Framber Valdez, Lance McCullers Jr., José Urquidy, Luis Garcia and Cristian Javier, who was moved to the bullpen temporarily last week to pitch behind McCullers. Javier will start Wednesday's series finale in Arlington. Brown's future remains as a starter, but his 99-mph fastball, devastating curveball and ability to pitch multiple innings could give the Astros an added dimension in the playoffs. |
"He has the stuff," Astros manager Dusty Baker said. "It's just a matter of can he command the strike zone, which is always the question with young pitchers and how they get the command of their fastball and if they can throw their secondary pitches." |
Mike Tilley, a Yankees fan who befriended Trey Mancini last July after being diagnosed with colon cancer, passed away Monday at 30 years old. Mancini got the somber news from Tilley's twin brother, Ryan, who is an Orioles fan and last year helped his brother connect with Mancini, who overcame colon cancer two years ago. The two originally talked for more than an hour and had stayed in contact over the last year-plus. "I'm just heartbroken for his family and his wife," Mancini said. "They had just got married right before he was diagnosed. It's not fair. It's not fair, man." Mancini was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in March 2020, just before he turned 28. He underwent 12 chemotherapy treatments and in September was told he was cancer-free. He returned to the Orioles the next spring and was named 2021 AL Comeback Player of the Year. Last year, he also established the Trey Mancini Foundation to support those going through similar battles, such as Mike. "He was a year older than me and diagnosed a year after I was," Mancini said. "We talked a lot. Baseball was a really nice escape for him, especially once his cancer had spread shortly after he started chemotherapy. It was hard on him. I know, going through it, that it can wear on you a lot. Baseball was a nice escape for him." |
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TRIVIA Who was the last Astros batter to strike out five times in a game? A.) J.D. Martinez B.) Gerrit Cole C.) Preston Wilson D.) Colby Rasmus |
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| Prior to Sunday's game against the Orioles, U.S. Army veteran Jodie Revils, who suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder and is a diehard Astros fan, threw out the ceremonial first pitch with a little bit of help from a friend. At his side was Donna, a support dog given to Revils by K9s For Warriors. Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr., a champion for veterans and dogs alike, sponsored the rescue dog through his foundation, the Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation. So it was only fitting that McCullers crouched behind the plate and caught the first pitch from Revils on Dog Day at Minute Maid Park. |
Two of the Astros' biggest stars -- second baseman Jose Altuve (Venezuela) and right fielder Kyle Tucker (United States) -- have committed to play in next year's World Baseball Classic, which takes place March 8-21, 2023. The Astros figure to have a few more players leave their Spring Training camp for the WBC next spring with pitchers Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia among those expressing interest to play. In fact, Valdez, who made his first All-Star Game this year, said he sent a video to Nelson Cruz, the general manager of the Dominican Republic team, expressing his desire to play in the WBC, if he's healthy and if the Astros allow it. "It would be big for me," Valdez said. "Obviously, a lot of guys do want to have the opportunity to represent their countries in the World Baseball Classic. It's only every four years. For me, it would be a great opportunity, to not only represent my team but my country there." Earlier this month, it was announced that Astros first base coach Omar López would manage the Venezuelan team. Astros bench coach Joe Espada is a candidate to manage the Puerto Rican team in the WBC. |
"Bill Walsh told me that you don't have to answer every question. He told me to say, 'That's a good question. I'll get back to you on that.' And then don't get back." -- Baker, referencing the legendary San Francisco 49ers coach, when the media pressed him with questions last week. |
THIS WEEK IN ASTROS HISTORY Sept. 1, 2019 |
Astros pitcher Justin Verlander threw his third career no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto, striking out 14 of the 28 batters he faced. He Joined Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller, Larry Corcoran and Cy Young as the sixth pitcher ever to throw three or more no-hitters. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't know that," said Verlander, who has twice lost a no-hitter in the ninth inning. "Definitely a big hurdle to get over, and a special moment for me." Verlander walked Cavan Biggio on five pitches with one out in the first inning and retired the final 26 batters he faced. Abraham Toro, a Canadian, hit a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to break a 0-0 tie and put Verlander in position to pitch the no-hitter. |
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TRIVIA ANSWER B.) Gerrit Cole |
Cole, the only Astros pitcher to strike out five times in a game, went 0-for-5 with five punchouts in one of the greatest games pitched in club history. On May 4, 2018, he threw a one-hit shutout in Arizona, allowing one walk and striking out 16 batters. Only four other Astros have struck out five times in a game -- Rasmus on July 6, 2016, Hank Conger on Aug. 19, 2015, Martinez on May 27, 2013, and Wilson on April 17, 2006. |
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