Astros: Wins, deal may help city heal

HOUSTON— The Astros returned home after playing this week’s series with the Texas Rangers at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. — instead of Minute Maid Park — because of torrential flooding in Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

They’ll host the Mets in a doubleheader on Saturday, the first professional sporting event in the city since the storm.

They hope their return and a blockbuster trade to acquire pitcher Justin Verlander from the Tigers can provide a much-needed boost to a city that badly needs one.

“We recognize our part in the healing,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “So I think that having a team that’s on its way to hopefully a successful September and a long postseason run will give people in Houston a healthy distraction, and something to think about amid all of the loss around them.

“So we’re hoping that Justin Verlander is another part of that.”