Astros overwhelm A’s, 15-0.
Melvin hopes lefty, other prospects, can help A’s make a run to postseason
HOUSTON >> At last, Jesús Luzardo is with the Oakland A’s.
The No. 1 prospect had a chance to break spring training with the team in March, but a strained shoulder and a lat strain suffered in July kept him outside looking in until now. He joins fellow top prospects A.J. Puk and Sean Murphy along with Seth Brown and Sheldon Neuse to help the big league club chase a postseason run.
The A’s had a nightmarish night in Houston on Monday. The Astros set a Major League record, hitting six home runs in the
THE SCORE ASTROS 15, A’S 0
Up next: A’s (Roark 9-8) at Astros (Miley 13-4), today, 5:10 p.m., NBCCA
first two innings (and another in the seventh) in a 15-0 win.
Thus, Luzardo’s arrival sure seems well-timed.
Manager Bob Melvin said Luzardo’s role with the team for the remainder of this season is unclear, though “it’s probably going to be more on bullpen side because our starters have done well, but how much and how long, we’re still bantering about that.”
Depth in this pitching staff is surely welcomed; another left-hander — one of the team’s most prized arms, at that — who can stretch to 90 pitches will add a unique dynamic to the staff.
Unique might be an understatement. Luzardo’s approach to his game could quickly make him a force with the big league team. Luzardo said himself that he’s struggling a bit with his fastball command, but the glove at the other end was tantalized by the lefthander’s stuff.
“He’s just different than
other guys with his plus stuff, because he commands it so well,” catcher Sean Murphy said.
Luzardo had a 3.19 ERA with 34 strikeouts with the Las Vegas Aviators, but his high floor and higher ceiling are propped up primarily his advanced arsenal. The 21-year-old has a fastball that can reach 9798 mph with a curveball and changeup. It might not surprise you, then, that he modeled his game after fellow Venezuelans Johan Santana and Felix Hernandez.
“Kind of same body type, good changeup, good fastball,” Luzardo said of Santana. “So that’s a guy I emulated my game after. Felix Hernandez was young, Venezuelan growing up when I was little. He pitched with passion and fire and that’s something I try to follow.”
But it’s not just “stuff” that’s getting Luzardo
through innings. He’s got a deceptive delivery and messes with his leg kick and tempo on the mound. He has a plan, he’s cerebral with power to back up experimentation.
“When he goes out there, he has a game plan,” Murphy said. “He wants to execute this and work backwards on some guys. His desire to improve his stuff and develop different ways to develop his pitches is impressive for a guy who can just go get it done with his heater.
“Changing tempo, changing speeds and changing looks against different guys. Adding and subtracting on some stuff. It’s all impressive, it’s stuff you see from veteran guys.”
Luzardo last pitched in the Aviators’ playoff game on Friday. So the earliest he could make his MLB debut would be Wednesday.
• In Monday’s game, Mike Fiers lasted one inning and couldn’t record an out in the second. He gave up five home runs.
Alex Bregman hit a threerun
home run, his 35th. Yordan Alvarez went back-toback with a solo shot. Robinson Chirinos hit a two-run homer. In the second, George Springer singled and Jose Altuve hit a two-run home run to knock Fiers out of the game.
Alvarez hit his second
home run off Paul Blackburn, into right field’s third deck.
Chirinos hit the Astros’ seventh homer in the seventh, matching a franchise record for home runs in one game. Zack Greinke tossed six shutout innings, allowing just two hits.