Baker scouts Jays’ new digs
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Blue Jays haven’t been in their new home long, so the first thing Astros manager Dusty Baker did when he arrived at Sahlen Field on Friday was a little bit of housekeeping.
The Blue Jays are still prohibited from playing in Canada due to the coronavirus pandemic and thus spent the first part of this season playing in Florida before moving June 1 to Sahlen Field, which also served as their home throughout the 2020 season.
The Astros, however, did not face the Blue Jays in 2020 and have never played at the ballpark, which normally houses the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. While a handful of active Astros have played at Sahlen Field at some point during their minor league careers — Jake Odorizzi, Ryan Pressly, Ryne Stanek, Brooks Raley and Joe Smith — the majority have not.
So Baker did his due diligence Friday, patrolling the outfield and scouting everything from shadows to angles.
“I marked out the steps and talked to (left fielder Chas) McCormick and especially the younger guys about how far they had to go to the warning track, like how big the warning track is,” he said. “So I stepped it out. I think it’s like six walking steps so running it would probably be four to five, and it’s a pretty big warning track. But the dimensions are very hitter-friendly. It’s in good shape. The field’s in great shape. Also I was looking to see if there was a sun peel, I didn’t see one at this hour . ... My coaches hit some in the corners to see if the ball runs or bounces back out for the infielders to go and get it. So just try learn as much about the stadium as you can.”
Sahlen Field can seat 16,600 people, making it the highest-capacity Triple-A ballpark in the country. According to the MiLB website, the dimensions are 325 feet to left field, 404 feet to center field and 325 feet to right field.
The last time Baker was in Buffalo, he was a member of the visiting Triple-A Richmond Braves in town to play the Buffalo Bisons at since-demolished War Memorial Stadium. The year was 1969.
The Astros play a threegame series against the Blue Jays at Sahlen Field, the first of a nine-game, three-city road trip that includes stops in Boston and Minnesota.
Martes eligible to return June 19
The Astros have assigned righthander Francis Martes, who last pitched in the majors in 2017, to Class AAA Sugar Land in preparation for reactivation.
Martes missed the entire 2020 season with a second suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drugs policy. He was handed a 162-game suspension last February after he tested positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid. Martes was previously suspended 80 games in March 2019 after he tested positive for Clomiphene, an ovulatory stimulant, and also missed most of the 2018 and 2019 seasons due to Tommy John surgery.
He is eligible for reinstatement June 19.
The two failed drug tests represent a fall from grace for Martes, who was once one of the Astros’ brightest pitching prospects. In 2017, he was 5-2 with a 5.80 ERA in four starts and 28 relief appearances for the Astros, striking out 69 and walking 31 in 54⅓ innings. Between his injury and the suspensions, however, he has rarely played in the last three seasons.
Brantley could return next week
The Astros hope to have left fielder Michael Brantley back in the lineup by next week’s road series in Boston, manager Dusty Baker said Friday.
Brantley has missed nine games since going on the injured list with right hamstring soreness retroactive to May 25. He was eligible to return Friday but was not in the lineup for that night’s series opener against the Blue Jays in Buffalo, the first game of a three-city, ninegame road trip that will next take the Astros to Boston ( June 8-10) and Minnesota ( June 11-13).
Brantley ran on the field before Friday’s game and looked “like he’s come along fine,” Baker said.
Skeeters fall again to OKC
The Sugar Land Skeeters fell for the second straight night to begin their road trip Friday night with a 10-1 loss to the Oklahoma City Dodgers. Abraham Toro drove in the Skeeters’ only run of the night on in the fourth inning a double down the right-field line to score Ronnie Dawson.
The Skeeters and Dodgers will play again at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark. Triple A West May Pitcher of the Month Brett Conine will start for the Skeeters.