San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
McCullers ‘not sure’ if he can pitch in Series
HOUSTON — After missing the Astros' entire six-game win in the American League Championship Series, starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. said he's “not sure” whether he could contribute during the World Series.
McCullers strained the flexor pronator muscle in his right forearm during Houston's 10-1 win in Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the Chicago White Sox. Manager Dusty Baker said Thursday that McCullers has not resumed throwing a baseball and that “nothing's changed” with his status.
“Fortunately we have a couple extra days now to kind of assess and see how that is,” Astros general manager James Click said after Friday's 5-0 win against the Boston Red Sox. “We'll see how that is. I hope so. When he's right, he's one of the most unhittable pitchers in baseball. Having him in at the front of our rotation, or somewhere in the rotation depending on how much he can build up, would be a real shot in the arm.”
McCullers' continued inactivity does not portend well for his World Series status.
Game 1 is scheduled for Tuesday against either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Atlanta Braves.
Houston's starting rotation endured a roller-coaster ALCS in McCullers' absence. Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia and José Urquidy teamed to throw just
52⁄3 innings across the first three games, taxing Houston's bullpen. Valdez and Garcia rebounded to throw 132⁄3 innings of one-run ball across Games 5 and 6.
Valdez, Garcia and Urquidy are almost guaranteed to comprise Houston's World Series rotation. If McCullers cannot pitch, the Astros can choose from either Jake Odorizzi or Cristian Javier to slot fourth. Odorizzi was scheduled to start Game 4 of the ALCS, but threw 82 pitches in relief of Garcia during Game 2.
Javier's two ALCS relief appearances created a compelling case for his inclusion in a World Series rotation. He struck out seven Red Sox across five scoreless
innings, including a brilliant three-inning stint during Houston's 9-2 win in Game 4. Javier is not built up beyond 50 or 60 pitches, though, perhaps leaving Odorizzi as the most logical choice.
Javier didn't pitch in the final two games of the ALCS, but a case could be made the Astros might not be moving on to the World Series if not for the work he turned in during Games 1 and 4.
In Game 1, Javier took over during the fourth inning after the Red Sox scored three times during the third inning to take the lead. Javier then restored order by striking out four in two shutout frames, keeping the Astros in striking distance to later tie the score and take the lead en route to a series-opening win.
Then in Game 4, Javier entered in the third inning with the Astros down 2-1 and turned
in three shutout innings as the bullpen provided arguably the turning point of the series with shutdown work after Boston had lit up Houston pitching for 21 runs in Games 2 and 3.
Including the division series against the White Sox, Javier hasn't given up a run in 72⁄3 innings, striking out 13 and allowing just three hits with opponent batting .115 against him.
“Javi was incredible,” Astros bullpen mate Ryne Stanek said. “What he did for this team and the situations he threw in was incredible. It was as big an appearance and an outing that we could have. He saved the bullpen with huge, quality innings for us. He was invaluable.”
Fan gets to hang on to Arroyo’s errant bat
Sitting in the front row behind the dugout at Major League Baseball games these days
doesn't leave much opportunity to go home with a souvenir as most foul balls headed in your direction bounce off the netting in front of you.
Of course, that netting also can catch an errant bat and help you take it home.
In the fifth inning of Game 6 of the Astros-Red Sox series, Boston's Christian Arroyo lost the grip of his bat on a swing and it went flying right above his team's dugout and stuck in the netting.
As shocked Astros fans looked on, Jason Webster coolly reached into the netting and grabbed the black bat for himself.
According to Webster, who is from The Woodlands in the Houston area, Arroyo told him he could keep the bat as he retreated to the dugout to grab a replacement.
“He said, ‘Keep it.' It was very cool of him,” Webster said gesturing toward the Red Sox dugout. “All these guys have been as nice as they could be to us the whole time.”
There was some confusion in the bottom of the inning when a Minute Maid Park official came to talk to Webster and said the Red Sox had asked for the bat back and were willing to make a trade.
“He told me he didn't want it. He said it himself, so I'm keeping it,” Webster said.
Pitching adjustment on Hernandez works
Through the first eight games of this postseason, including the first three of the ALCS, Boston's Kiké Hernandez was hitting
.500 (18-for-36) with five home runs and nine RBIs. His ALCS MVP trophy was waiting to be engraved.
Then came the reality show of Houston pitching, which held Hernandez to a .154 average (2-for-13) with no homers and no RBIs over the final three games.
“Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to the other team, they made a quick adjustment,” Hernandez said. “They adjusted to us and we were not able to be as quick as they were at making the adjustment ourselves. That's why we are here talking about this. We weren't able to score some runs the last three games. They have a really good ballclub over there.”