Houston has arguably the best overall pitching staff in the major leagues but
has run into a big problem because of injury.
The Astros are struggling to find someone to handle those standout pitchers
after losing another catcher in their 5-3 victory over the Texas Rangers on
Tuesday.
The Astros will send right-hander Garrit Cole (9-2 Adidas
Jeff Skinner Jersey , 2.50 ERA) to the mound for the Independence
Day, Lone Star State showdown at Globe Life Park in Arlington while the Rangers
counter with left-hander Mike Minor (6-4, 4.64).
Houston¡¯s catching situation took a turn for the worst Tuesday when Max
Stassi was forced from the game against Texas in the first inning after he was
hit on the right wrist by a pitch.
Stassi¡¯s injury comes on the same day veteran catcher Brian McCann met with
team medical director Dr. David Lintner ahead of having surgery on his right
knee. The Astros placed McCann on the disabled list Tuesday with a sore right
knee for the second time this season and recalled catcher Tim Federowicz from
Triple-A Fresno.
Federowicz took over for Stassi, who entered Tuesday¡¯s game batting .255 with
seven homers and 22 RBIs.
Houston manager A.J. Hinch wouldn¡¯t say what type of surgery McCann would
undergo and when the procedure would take place, but admitted that the Astros
without McCann, their front-line backstop, ¡°for the foreseeable future.¡±
¡°We don¡¯t know other than he¡¯s heading for surgery and we¡¯ll have a better
timetable once he sees Dr. Lintner and goes through the medical process,¡± Hinch
told mlb.com. ¡°We had a long conversation in Tampa (over the weekend), and it¡¯s
continually the same issue over and over with his right knee. One of the options
is surgery, and he went back to Houston to take care of it.¡±
Texas right-handed reliever Chris Martin was optioned to Triple-A Round Rock
on Tuesday prior to the club¡¯s series opener against the Astros. The move made
room on the 25-man roster for first baseman Ronald Guzman, who returned from the
seven-day concussion disabled list.
Rangers manager Jeff Banister said Martin¡¯s demotion was to create bench
depth
¡°Chris hadn¡¯t done anything to warrant being optioned,¡± Banister said. ¡°He¡¯s
got options. Obviously, he¡¯s pitched well for us in the bullpen. However, you¡¯ve
got to be able to protect some of the other players on the team Cheap
Jihad Ward Jersey , too.¡±
Banister told mlb.com that Guzman passed the concussion protocol three days
after he was placed on the disabled list. ¡°Ronals was a full-go, as far as
baseball activities are concerned,¡± he said.
The Astros have shuffled their rotation for this week to give Lance
McCullers, Jr. and Charlie Morton some additional rest. McCullers was originally
scheduled to start Wednesday against the Rangers.
Cole makes his first start in July after going 4-1 with a 3.41 ERA in six
June starts, posting a 1.11 WHIP and 42 strikeouts in 37 innings. The Astros are
14-3 in games started by Cole, who is looking to reach double digits in
wins.
Minor has been one of the Rangers¡¯ best starters of late. He was 2-0 with a
2.08 ERA in four June starts. Minor is 4-2 with a 3.44 ERA in nine home starts
this season.
Minor is 1-2 with a 5.06 ERA in nine games (six starts) versus Houston,
including 0-1, 5.74 in three starts this season.
Cole is 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in four starts against Texas, including 2-0, 1.80
in three turns this year.
Acquiring Alex Smith filled a long-term need at
quarterback the Washington Redskins didn't think Kirk Cousins was the right fit
for.
After signing Smith to a four-year extension worth $94 million, the Redskins
then began looking at the other holes on their roster.
Super Bowl MVP QB-turned senior vice president of football operations Doug
Williams said Smith looked at Washington's weapons and offensive line before
deciding to essentially complete the trade from Kansas City by agreeing to the
extension.
Most things are fine on offense if oft-injured tight end Jordan Reed and the
line anchored by left tackle Trent Williams stay healthy and new receiver Paul
Richardson provides a speed threat along with high-jumper Josh Doctson and
possession guy Jamison Crowder.
Then there's the ground game, where only four NFL teams rushed for fewer
yards than the Redskins with a combination of Rob Kelley, Samaje Perine and
third-down back Chris Thompson.
It's not a great sign that Cousins led the Redskins in rushing touchdowns. So
before introducing Smith, Williams glanced at him and said: "I promise
you Mark
Lowe Jersey , we'll get the running back situation straight."
The draft gives Williams the opportunity to find that running back, even if
it's not in the first round with the 13th pick. The closest running back to
making an immediate impact like Leonard Fournette for Jacksonville, Penn State
star Saquon Barkley, will be long gone by then.
Georgia's Sony Michel, N.C. State's Jaylen Samuels, Iowa's Akrum Wadley or
even Fordham's Chase Edmonds could be later-round targets for Washington, which
traded its third-rounder in the Smith deal but has seven more selections after
No. 13: Nos. 44 (second), 109 (fourth), 142 and 163 (fifth), 205 (sixth) and 231
and 241 (seventh).
"Everybody wants to upgrade, and we want to upgrade everywhere if we could,"
Williams said Tuesday while praising Perine and Thompson when healthy. "Running
back is a place that we always say we need a little more help."
Going defense in the first round for the second consecutive year is a strong
possibility with needs along the defensive line and in the secondary.
Landing Alabama defensive tackle Jonathan Allen at pick 17 a year ago was a
coup for the Redskins, but his injury exposed their lack of depth.
"When we lost Jonathan, things really seemed to kind of change http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cordy-glenn- jersey ,
and that's unfortunate," linebacker Ryan Kerrigan said. "Jon was as advertised
in how he played the run and how he played the pass and how he got after the
passer, so his loss was huge."
Defensive tackles Vita Vea from Washington and Da'Ron Payne from Alabama are
projected to be mid-first-round picks.
Some other things to consider for the Redskins at the draft:
SECONDARY CONCERNS
Beyond top cornerback Josh Norman and safety D.J. Swearinger, Washington has
question marks all over its secondary and is counting on young and/or
injury-prone players to take a lot of snaps. Second-year cornerback Fabian
Moreau and safety Montae Nicholson, converted receiver Quinton Dunbar and
recently signed Orlando Scandrick are in the mix, but the Redskins could use
some help there.
If a defensive back such as Alabama's Minkah Fitzpatrick, Ohio State's Denzel
Ward or Florida State's Derwin James are available at 13, the Redskins could
make an immediate upgrade in an important spot.
ONE BIG HOLE
Left guard is the only position on the roster that doesn't have a likely
starter already unless Washington's front office experiences a change of heart
and brings back Shawn Lauvao. Getting Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson would be a
dream at 13, though it's more likely the Redskins find a fit later in the draft
after doing the same with center Chase Roullier last year.
Williams allowed for the possibility that Arie Kouandjio could start at left
guard.
"We're not going in saying, 'We got to get a guard,'" he said. "That's not
where we are at this point because we got enough guys around here that if we
have to play the game, if everybody was healthy today with what we have, we
would have no problem lining up playing the game."
TIGHT END INSURANCE
While Reed is an elite talent and a matchup nightmare, injuries limited him
to six games last season and 12 in 2016 Authentic
Isaiah Oliver Jersey , second tight end Vernon Davis is 34, 2017
pick Jeremy Sprinkle is unproven and Niles Paul is gone. All that makes tight
end an intriguing position for the Redskins if they can find someone there who
can catch passes and serve as a blocker.
LINEBACKER DEPTH
Washington's starting linebacking group is set with Zach Brown and Mason
Foster inside and Kerrigan and Preston Smith outside. Beyond that, depth is
lacking, making soon-to-be 20-year-old Tremaine Edmunds out of Virginia Tech is
a possibility in the first round. A hybrid linebacker/safety would also help the
Redskins replace 2016 third-rounder Su'a Cravens, who left the team while
contemplating retirement last season and was traded to Denver.
HITS, MISSES AND BARGAINS
Right guard Brandon Scherff has been a no-doubter making the Pro Bowl twice
since going fifth overall in 2015.
Thompson was the Redskins' offensive MVP last season after being a
fifth-round pick in 2013, and 2016 fifth-rounder Matt Ioannidis could be a
fixture on the defensive line for years.
Misses are far more frequent for Washington in recent years, including most
of the 2014 class. WR Josh Doctson, a first-rounder in 2016, is still a question
mark.
.