The Houston Astros continue to cling to first place in the American League West, but their situation is growing increasingly shaky by the day. Heading into Sunday’s action, the ‘Stros will be fighting to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the second-place Seattle Mariners that would narrow the gap between the teams to just two games.
The Astros led the division by seven games as recently as July 6, just two weeks ago. But as the two-time World Series champions seek their ninth straight season of playoff baseball, they have now dropped seven of their last 10 games, while Seattle has the mirror image record of 7-3 including five in a row while winning 11 of their last 15.
On Sunday, the news for the Astros got even worse, as they announced that Isaac Paredes â their All-Star third baseman who has posted a robust .829 OPS while blasting 19 home runs â will require an injured list stint of at least 10 days, Riley more, with a hamstring strain.
New Hamstring Injury Called Worse Than Previous One
Paredes exited Saturday’s 7-6 defeat to Seattle in the third inning after smacking a line drive off the left field wall at T-Mobile Park, but made it only to first base as he came up limping halfway down the line.
Manager Joe Espada said after the game that Parades’ injury “doesn’t look very good,” and that the 26-year-old native of Mexico would return to Houston for an MRI on his right leg as the team continues with the final four games of its six-game road swing.
Paredes missed three games in June with a left hamstring issue, but told reporters that Saturday’s injury to his right hamstring felt worse than the previous injury, according to a report by MLB.com.
The injury leaves the Astros infield with another significant hole after second baseman Jeremy Pena suffered a fractured rib in late June and is not expected back until later this month at the earliest.
Another second baseman, Brendan Rodgers who had appeared in just 43 games with a .544 OPS, was moved to the 60 day disabled list Sunday after a frightening collision during a rehab assignment game Friday with the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys.
As he was rehabbing from an oblique muscle strain, in his first game since going on the IL June 15, Rodgers collided with teammate Edwin Diaz, suffering a concussion and a broken nose.
Astros Make ‘Surprising’ Call-Ups
Following the Paredes injury, the Astros quickly attempted to fill in the gaps with a series of roster moves that Fansided Astros correspondent Jordan Campbell said “scream desperation.”
“Utility infielder/outfielder Shay Whitcomb and first baseman Jon Singleton were being recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land,” Campbell wrote. “Appearing in 12 games with the Astros this season, Whitcomb had one hit through his first 19 plate appearances this season. The one hit, however, was memorable as it was Whitcomb’s first career home run.”
But he described the call-up of Singleton “more surprising.”
“Singleton returned to the Astros’ organization at the end of June after being released by the New York Mets,” Campbell wrote. “In 82 plate appearances with Triple-A Sugar Land upon his return, Singleton was slashing .254/.427/.460 with four home runs.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Astros Disastrous Announcement Puts AL West Leaders in ‘Desperation’ Mode appeared first on Heavy Sports.