ON DECK: ASTROS VS. OAKLAND A’S
When/where: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:10 p.m.; Minute Maid Park.
TV: SCHN.
Radio: 790 AM, 93.3 FM (Spanish), 1010 AM (Spanish). Pitchers: Monday, RHP Spencer Arrighetti (0-4, 8.44) vs. RHP Ross Stripling (1-6, 5.14); Tuesday, RHP Ronel Blanco (4-0, 2.23) vs. LHP JP Sears (3-2, 4.20); Wednesday, LHP Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.64) vs. TBD; Thursday, TBD vs. TBD. Astros (15-25) update: After winning a three-game series at Detroit, Houston has vaulted the Angels for fourth place in the American League West, 6 1⁄2 games behind division-leading Seattle. … Eight of Kyle Tucker’s MLB-best 13 home runs have come in his last 13 games. His .987 OPS ranks fourth in the majors. … Yordan Alvarez is 7-for-18 in his last four games, taking his batting average from .245 to .256. … Alex Bregman’s most recent double on Friday was the 241st of his career, tying him with Bob Watson for seventh place in franchise history. Jose Cruz ranks sixth with 335. … Righthander José Urquidy and outfielder Chas McCormick began rehab assignments with Class AAA Sugar Land on Sunday. Urquidy threw 46 pitches (28 for strikes) over 22⁄3 innings against Oklahoma City, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk while striking out three. McCormick was 2-for-5 with a double.
Athletics (19-23) update: No longer a pushover, the A’s were at .500 (17-17) before losing six of their last eight games. … The flamethrowing Mason Miller, who is 8-for-8 in save opportunities, has emerged as one of baseball’s most fearsome closers. Since allowing two runs in his first appearance this year, he hasn’t been scored on since, a 12-game span covering 1 5⁄1 innings. Opposing hitters are 3 1-for-35 with one walk and 25 strikeouts in Miller’s last 10 outings. He’s thrown 100 mph on 118 pitches this year (including 25 at 102 mph or more), topping out at 103.7 mph.… Former Astro Abraham Toro has taken over second base duties for Oakland and is hitting .299/.351/.460. He has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, going 22-for-53 (.415) in that span. … DH Brent Rooker boasts a .292/.380/.632 slash line with 10 home runs in 30 games. Nine of Rooker’s homers have come with men on base. … Shea Langeliers is hitting only .213 but ranks second among major league catchers with nine home runs. In a doubleheader split with Texas last Wednesday, he went 5-for-9 with two homers, a triple, a double and eight RBIs.