Gomez’s problems compounded by misguided thievery
SEATTLE — Carlos Gomez had one of his better offensive games for eight-plus innings of the Astros’ series opener against the Mariners on Monday night at Safeco Field.
But the struggling center fielder managed to come away from the game as a scapegoat in a 3-2 loss.
Three pitches after his one-out single in Monday’s ninth inning, Gomez was caught attempting to steal second base.
The decision to run was questionable given not only the late-game situation but the fact side-arming Seattle closer Steve Cishek has a quick delivery.
The out loomed large when Luis Valbuena walked and Preston Tucker singled to put runners on the corners. Jose Altuve grounded out to end the game.
Gomez declined to speak with reporters after Monday’s game and again before Tuesday’s. Members of the coaching staff went over the play with him Tuesday.
“I think the net result was a little over-aggressive because he didn’t get his max lead and he didn’t get a (max) jump,” manager A.J. Hinch said before Tuesday night’s game. “We talked to him about it today. He knew that. As a base stealer, you look to go all the time. What he needs to remember is if you don’t get the max lead, if you don’t get your max jump, you always have the next pitch where you could possibly go.”
Gomez, 30, and in a contract year, came into Tuesday batting .211, without a home run and with only two RBIs through 71 at-bats. His dismal .500 OPS was the second worst in the majors among the 144 players to have 70 plate appearances before Tuesday. Only the Braves’ Erick Aybar, with a .336 OPS, was worse.
The Astros need Gomez to produce. His performance Monday marked only his fourth two-hit game of the season, though it was his second in a four-game span.
“I think the at-bats have been a little bit more under control,” Hinch said. “I haven’t seen the helmet flying here as much. He’s been in the at-bats, on time a little bit more, a little bit of the release of the barrel, all things that show signs. He’s hit the ball on the line quite a bit, just near misses on some home runs.
“It would be nice to get him heated up.”
Slumping White lowered to sixth
After batting out of the five-hole and a few times out of the cleanup spot in his previous 15 starts, Tyler White found himself sixth in the Astros’ lineup Tuesday at Safeco Field.
White came into Tuesday’s contest against the Mariners mired in a 3-for36 slump over his previous 10 games. The rookie first baseman opened the season batting seventh but quickly ascended manager A.J. Hinch’s lineup with an incredible first week and a half of the season to kick-start his big league career.
But White, who was batting a blistering .483 through the first nine games, has seen his average drop in each game since. He came into Tuesday batting .262 with an impressive .887 OPS. Perhaps chasing his early-April production, he has inadvertently expanded the strike zone in recent games, chasing pitches he should lay off.
Hinch inserted the lefthanded-hitting Preston Tucker into the five-hole as the designated hitter Tuesday, his second time batting behind Colby Rasmus in a four-game span. The other occurred when White was given a day off in the Astros’ win Saturday over the Red Sox.
“More just Tucker,” Hinch said of his reasoning for the lineup tweak. “He swings the bat well, and against (Mariners righthander Nathan) Karns with his breaking ball, it’s a little better matchup.
“The way they used their lefthanded relievers, I’m not as worried about how the matchups come later in the game.
“You’ve got to beat the starter in order to get into the game and get the lead, and I can make moves later with the left-right component of it.”
Tucker entered Tuesday batting .237 with a .775 OPS. His presence meant Evan Gattis was out of the lineup against Karns, a night after Gattis’ second consecutive two-hit performance.
Odds and ends
Astros batters came into Tuesday having combined for a major leagueworst 202 strikeouts. … Jose Altuve and George Springer are the lone Astros regulars yet to have a day off.