Astros update
Tuesday: Astros 5, Mariners 2.
Record: 68-41.
Today: At Seattle Mariners, 3:30 p.m. Starting pitchers: Dallas Keuchel (8-9) vs. Wade LeBlanc (6-1). TV/radio: ATTSW; 790 AM, 850 AM (Spanish), 101.7 FM (Spanish).
to evolve as a team, get healthier. I didn’t know (if another deal would be made Tuesday) just because you never know. But I’m very happy with the moves we made and happier we’re getting healthier as the days go.”
Defensive stalwart Martin Maldonado, who figures to be the team’s third catcher in the postseason, and righthanded setup man Ryan Pressly were acquired last week.
Monday, Houston stole the sport’s focus when it landed Roberto Osuna, the 23-year-old Blue Jays closer who is charged with one count of assaulting a woman and on Wednesday has a court appearance scheduled in Canada.
Talk of acquiring another bat was popular. The Astros are generating little production from their left fielders — they carried an anemic .687 OPS into Tuesday’s game — and are lefthandedheavy at the corners. Tony Kemp, Kyle Tucker and Josh Reddick all hit from the left side. Marwin Gonzalez is a switch hitter.
But as 3 p.m. came and went Tuesday, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow did not strike another deal.
The Astros’ closest pursuer refused to follow suit.
The Mariners, who stand four games back in the American League West after losing to the Astros 5-2 on Tuesday night, bolstered their outfield Tuesday after reinforcing their bullpen late Monday. Seattle acquired former Astros Cameron Maybin in the deadline’s final hour after acquiring relievers Zach Duke and Adam Warren the night before. Another arm, reliever Sam Tuivailala, was added by the Mariners last week.
And though Oakland — just five games back in the division — did not make any deadline-day deals, it grabbed Mets closer Jeurys Familia last week to serve in a setup role.
“A lot of teams did their work early like us; some teams waited until the deadline,” Hinch said. “You never know how many deals are going to go down. A lot of moving parts, some we’re going to see pretty soon — whether it’s guys here in Seattle or this weekend when we get to L.A. (to face a Dodgers team that now has Manny Machado and Brian Dozier) — it’s a crazy time of year, and today delivered as one of the crazier days with all the moving parts.”
Though Tuesday carries with it an “end of it all” aura, trades are not prohibited in August. But players must first pass through waivers.
Players must be acquired by Aug. 31 to retain postseason eligibility. The Astros famously acquired Justin Verlander last season with seconds to spare on Aug. 31. They also acquired reliever Tyler Clippard on Aug. 14.
“Pretty normal for this time of year,” Verlander said Monday of the club’s new look. “I think this team is so good in this locker room that we’re well-adapted to be able to have some changes like that happen but still keep the atmosphere in here.”