Alvarez and Peña sit, undergo testing
A day after a nasty outfield collision sent them both into concussion testing, Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña did not play Thursday’s against the New York Yankees while awaiting clearance from Houston’s medical staff.
Alvarez and Peña were around the team pregame and inside the clubhouse. The Astros told reporters they were not available for interviews due to the medical testing.
In the absence of his two young stars, Baker started Aledmys Díaz in left field, Mauricio Dubón at shortstop and rookie J.J. Matijevic at designated hitter.
Baker reiterated Thursday what he said in the aftermath of Wednesday’s grisly scene: The Astros avoided a disaster.
Peña and Alvarez remained down for a few minutes following the collision — one in which Peña was de-cleated after running into Alvarez, who absorbed a forearm to the bridge of his nose. Alvarez needed a cart to leave the field but walked onto it without assistance. That the two flew back to Houston with the team Wednesday night was a positive sign, too.
Altuve, Alvarez All-Star starters?
Alvarez and Jose Altuve advanced to the second phase of All-Star voting Thursday, leaving both in line to start the game next month at Dodger Stadium.
Both men lead the voting at their respective positions — second baseman Altuve over Toronto’s Santiago Espinal and designated hitter Alvarez over Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
The second phase of All-Star voting concludes July 8.
3 coaches in safety protocol
Three coaches on Baker’s staff missed Thursday’s
game due to what the team termed “health and safety protocols.”
Bench coach Joe Espada, first-base coach Omar López and quality control coach Dan Firova were absent. The Astros use “health and safety protocols” to describe anything COVID-19 related, but it’s unclear whether any of the men tested positive.
No players were affected, Baker said. Espada, López and Firova all worked Wednesday afternoon’s game at Citi Field against the Mets.
Friday’s game on Apple TV+
Another Astros homestand brings another Friday night with fans having to change their viewing routine.
Friday’s Astros-Angels series opener will be the fourth Houston game this season that will stream exclusively on Apple TV+ instead of airing on AT&T SportsNet Southwest.
Announcers for Friday’s game will be playby-play man Stephen Nelson, analysts Hunter Pence and Katie Nolan, and sideline reporter Heidi Watney.
Space Cowboys hammer Isotopes
Yainer Diaz started an eight-run third inning with a solo homer, Pedro Leon capped it with a three-run blast, and the Sugar Land Space Cowboys went on to rout the host Albuquerque Isotopes 15-0 on Thursday night.
Hunter Brown threw six scoreless innings for the Space Cowboys, allowing two hits and a walk and striking out seven. Jon Olczak, Nick Hernandez and Ronal Blanco finished the combined three-hitter.
Sugar Land also got a homer from Jose Siri, his second since being optioned to Class AAA last weekend, and four RBIs from Corey Julks.