With Alex Bregman and Jon Singleton each blasting a home run to spark a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a three-game interleague series on Friday, the Astros capitalized on a relatively rare display of power.
Houston entered the weekend series leading the American League in batting average (.261) and hits (916) but ranked only sixth with 117 homers. While the show of slugging was welcome against the Dodgers, the Astros have a lineup capable of doing much more damage than it has wrought.
Houston aims to continue that power surge on Saturday in the rematch versus Los Angeles.
“We’d like to have some homers,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “But that’s where we are right now. We’ve just got to find ways to score some runs: a walk, a stolen base, try to get something going. That’s the kind of offense we are right now. There’s some power in there, but we’ve got to find a way to get some runs across.
“You can still hit homers when you’re trying to keep the line moving. We’re just trying to get what the pitching is giving us. We’re trying to grind at-bats … doing the small things well, and it’s working for us.”
Right-hander Ronel Blanco (9-5, 2.75 ERA) has the starting assignment for Houston on Saturday.
Blanco was the pitcher of record in the Astros’ 6-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Sunday after allowing a season-high-tying four earned runs on six hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings. He has dropped consecutive decisions and is 1-3 with a 3.90 ERA over his last five appearances, a stretch that followed a three-start winning streak in June during which Blanco allowed two earned runs with 20 strikeouts over 20 innings.
Blanco will make his second career appearance against the Dodgers. He did not factor into the decision of an 8-7 road loss on June 24, 2023, after allowing three runs on two hits — both home runs — with two walks and six strikeouts over six innings.
Rookie left-hander Justin Wrobleski (0-1, 4.40) will make his fourth career start for the Dodgers.
Wrobleski made his big-league debut on June 7 against the Milwaukee Brewers and allowed four runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts over five innings in a 9-2 loss. He tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox on June 20, surrendering three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 7-6 victory.
Wrobleski will make his first career start against the Astros. He was 5-3 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 15 starts with Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City before his promotion.
Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched from the starting lineup mere hours before the first pitch on Friday and returned to Los Angeles to tend to a family matter. His 3-year-old son, Maximus, was hospitalized according to published reports following an illness that developed from a viral infection contracted while the family was in Arlington, Texas, for the All-Star Game.
Cavan Biggio replaced Freeman in the lineup and finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Utilityman Enrique Hernandez serves as another option to play first with Freeman unavailable.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts did not offer a timetable for when Freeman could return. The Dodgers have an off day on Monday before opening a two-game road series against the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.
“His son is still getting tests,” Roberts said. “Obviously, I just don’t see him being here for this series. Once we get to the West Coast, we’ll see if that’s in play after the off day.”
–Field Level Media