HOUSTON — The Astros on Saturday added outfielder Myles Straw to the big-league roster with one primary objective: to utilize his exceptional
speed on the basepaths as a pinch-runner.He may have the opportunity to continue
doing that Sunday
Josh Donaldson Jersey , when Houston hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of their three-game series.Over 131 games across two levels in the
minors, Straw posted 70 stolen bases and an 88.6 percent success rate. He
produced 35 steals apiece for Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A
Fresno.Article continues below ...“Speed is the most obvious thing that he
adds,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. “You get into the type of (pennant) race
that we’re in, you get into playoff-caliber baseball, any small advantage can be
a big advantage. He’s an elite baserunner. His instincts are good, he’s a good
outfielder. “His second half hasn’t gone as well as his first half offensively.
We’re not going to ask a ton out of him playing-wise other than be an elite
baserunner when we need it the most.”By limiting his responsibilities, the
Astros (93-55), who evened the interleague set with a 10-4 victory Saturday,
believe Straw can adjust quickly.“We’re literally asking him to take his best
skill set on the bases and apply it to the major league level,” Hinch said of
Straw, who pinch-ran in the seventh inning. “One of the reasons we feel
comfortable with him in these last couple weeks is his instincts. And certainly,
he’ll be a little bit nervous the first couple times out but we’re asking him to
focus on one thing primarily, and that can ease a little bit of that stress that
comes with getting into the big leagues.”Right-hander Justin Verlander (15-9,
2.72 ERA) will start the series finale for the Astros. Verlander has posted 10
double-digit strikeout games this season and is 11 strikeouts shy of matching
his single-season high of 269 set in 2009 with the Detroit Tigers.He is 3-1 with
a 2.36 ERA over four career starts against Arizona, including a 3-1 loss on May
6 at Chase Field when he surrendered two runs (one earned) on three hits and
three walks with eight strikeouts over six innings. Verlander is 2-0 with a 1.93
ERA and 18 strikeouts over 14 innings this month.The Diamondbacks (78-71) will
counter with right-hander Zack Greinke (14-9
Joe Carter Jersey , 3.11 ERA). Greinke is 7-2 with a 2.75 ERA over his last 11 road starts and 5-4 with a 2.43 ERA in his last 11 interleague starts.He is 6-2
with a 2.24 ERA over 10 career starts against the Astros. He did not factor into
the decision May 5 when he allowed one run on five hits and two walks with five
strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in a 4-3 victory at Chase Field.Arizona on
Saturday selected right-hander Randall Delgado from Triple-A Reno and placed
right-hander Clay Buchholz on the 60-day disabled list (right elbow flexor
strain). Delgado appeared in six games for the Diamondbacks this season, going
2-0 with a 5.14 ERA before being designated for assignment July 25, released six
days later, and re-signed to a minor league contract Aug. 18. He posted a 0.93
ERA over five games with Reno after his signing before finishing with a 2.00 ERA
in 13 contests.“We’re all super excited to have him back,” Diamondbacks manager
Torey Lovullo said. “We need an arm and he had been keeping himself in shape and
talking about going to winter ball.“We know what Randall is all about.
Stuff-wise he was trending toward the Randall that we remember at the end of the
minor league season so he’s going to get the ball. My expectations are that
we’re going to use him in different situations, maybe not high-leverage right
now, but different situations to stop momentum and get big outs for us.”The
Diamondbacks are four games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the
National League West and 3 1/2 back of Colorado for the final NL wild-card spot.
DENVER — Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland, who has been remarkably consistent
all season and particularly effective at Coors Field, will start Friday for the
surging Rockies against the Washington Nationals.The Rockies took another step
Thursday toward making the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time
in their 26-year history with a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on
Thursday. A four-game sweep of the Phillies has extended Colorado’s winning
streak to a season-high-tying seven games and reduced their magic number for a
postseason appearance to two.In quest of their first National League West title,
the Rockies (89-70) lead the division by one game over the Los Angeles Dodgers
(88-71), who were off Thursday. The Rockies are two games ahead of the St. Louis
Cardinals for the second NL wild-card spot. The Cardinals were also idle
Thursday.Article continues below ...Freeland (16-7, 2.84) will oppose Joe Ross
(0-1, 4.09), who will make his third start for the Nationals since returning
from Tommy John surgery in July 2017.Freeland is 7-0, 2.10 in his past 10
starts
http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-j.a.-happ-jersey , nine of which the Rockies have won. The Rockies are 22-10 in games started by
Freeland, who has recorded 10 consecutive quality starts and 23 this season.He’s
9-2, 2.36 in 14 starts at Coors Field and ranks third in home ERA among NL
pitchers, trailing only Jacob deGrom of the New York Mets (1.54) and the
Cardinals’ Miles Mikolas (2.17).Freeland, 25, was 0-3, 5.85 after his first four
starts this season. At that point, he and catcher Chris Iannetta realized
Freeland had to come inside more often with his four-seam fastball to
right-handed hitters. At the same time, Freeland was beginning to get better
results from his changeup as a result of following a suggestion from bullpen
coach Darren Holmes and dragging his left toe hard when throwing the pitch to
take velocity off it.After those first four starts, Freeland has gone 16-4, 2.50
in his subsequent 28 starts, limiting opponents to a .229 average and .629
OPS.“It was early in the season,” Freeland said. “I knew there was a long way to
go, and there’s no reason to wash this season just because my first four starts
weren’t what I wanted them to be.“There were things I had to realize quickly and
I did with the help of Chris and our pitching coaches, realizing we had to stay
with my strengths. We have to pitch inside. We have to make the hitters
uncomfortable. We can’t just let them get extension all the time and hope that
that two-seam (fastball) just gets hit in the ground every single
time
Kendrys Morales Jersey , because that’s just not going to happen over the course of 30-32 starts.”Freeland is 1-0, 3.72 in two starts against Washington.
Ross is 0-0, 9.64 in one four-inning relief appearance against the Rockies on
April 25, 2017, at Coors Field.Ross gave up four runs (three earned) in six
innings Friday in a 95-pitch start against the Mets and was the losing pitcher
as the Nationals fell 4-2.“The uncertainty of how it will end, if you’ll be
back, was the toughest part, I think, for me,” Ross told the Washington Post
before his first start for the Nationals earlier this month, referring to his
comeback from Tommy John surgery. “But I kind of just went day-by-day, and I am
back here now, so it paid off in the end.”
