Spoiler [KAPLAN] Five takeaways from the opening series of the Astros’ 2020 season Five takeaways from the Astros’ first series of the regular season against the rebuilding Mariners at Minute Maid Park: 1. This is already shaping up to be something of a transition year for the pitching staff, especially in the wake of Justin Verlander’s forearm strain. After Zack Greinke and Lance McCullers Jr., the Astros will have to count on a slew of unproven, younger pitchers for the foreseeable future. Josh James and Framber Valdéz are now the Nos. 3 and 4 starters, and it’s unclear how the fifth spot will be filled, both on Wednesday against the Dodgers and in subsequent turns. The bullpen has an absurd number of rookies: eight as of Monday night’s win, their third of the four-game series. The Astros’ star-studded lineup is going to have to continue to hit. A lot. 2. The back end of the bullpen looks more uncertain than it did just a few days ago. Ryan Pressly, the Astros’ best reliever, was unavailable to pitch Monday night because of a sore elbow, according to manager Dusty Baker. Pressly has yet to make his season debut but warmed up in the bullpen Sunday. On top of that, Roberto Osuna has pitched with diminished velocity in his first two outings. In his season debut Saturday, his fastball sat at only 93 mph and maxed out at 94 mph. On Monday, he averaged 94 mph and maxed out at 94 mph. Last season, his fastball averaged 96 mph. His velocity might improve as the season advances. In his 2019 season debut, he sat at 94 mph and peaked at 95 mph. By June and July, he was averaging 97 mph. Those were his highest-velocity months of 2019. Baker also revealed late Monday that Chris Devenski is battling soreness and that Austin Pruitt has been shut down in his rehab from a bone bruise in his elbow. The Astros will have to count on a few of the rookies to pitch leverage innings. Those who have looked the best so far: Enoli Paredes, Cy Sneed, Blake Taylor, Brandon Bielak and Cristian Javier. 3. The Astros’ opening series lineups reinforced the notion that Baker will platoon at the designated-hitter spot when he’s not giving a regular “a half day” at DH, which suggests Kyle Tucker will generally play against right-handers but not left-handers. The strategy made more sense against Yusei Kikuchi on Sunday — when Baker started the since-optioned Taylor Jones, who crushed lefties in Triple A last season — than it did against Marco Gonzales on Friday, when Baker started Aledmys Díaz, who has traditionally hit righties better than lefties. But it’s also somewhat curious given Tucker has long been billed as a potential everyday major leaguer and also held his own against lefties in the minors. He had relatively even splits in Triple A last season, for example. And although he doesn’t have much of a track record to draw from as a major leaguer, he was 8-for-27 with a homer and three doubles against lefties as a September call-up last season. Of course, the Astros will face a lot more right-handers than left-handers. So Tucker figures to play plenty, at least until Yordan Álvarez returns. 4. Batting order is largely overrated, but Baker’s lineup construction in the Nos. 7 through 9 spots hasn’t been ideal for the new three-batter-minimum rule. The Astros’ top of the order has to be right-handed heavy; until Álvarez returns, five of their six best hitters bat from the right side. But splitting José Altuve and Alex Bregman with the left-handed-hitting Michael Brantley in the No. 3 spot (as Baker did Sunday) or batting a left-handed hitter in the No. 9 spot would make bullpen management more difficult for the opposing manager as he braces for the Houston lineup to turn over. Baker batted Martín Maldonado or Dustin Garneau, both right-handed hitters, in the No. 9 spot in the first four games. He had Josh Reddick, the roster’s most ideal left-handed-hitting No. 9 hitter, in the No. 7 spot on Friday, Saturday and Monday and in the No. 8 spot on Sunday. On Saturday and Monday, he had another lefty, Tucker, in the No. 8 spot. That’s back-to-back lefties in a lineup that had only three of them. Sunday’s configuration, with Brantley moved up a spot and Reddick moved down a spot and behind the right-handed-hitting designated hitter (Jones), made for a better left-right balance. But Baker said he made that change in an attempt to get better protection for Brantley because Brantley hadn’t hit Kikuchi in the past (0-for-8). Astros batting orders vs. the Mariners Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Monday 1. George Springer (R) | George Springer (R) | George Springer (R) | George Springer (R) 2. Jose Altuve (R) | Jose Altuve (R) | Jose Altuve (R) | Jose Altuve (R) 3. Alex Bregman (R) | Alex Bregman (R) | Michael Brantley (L) | Alex Bregman (R) 4. Michael Brantley (L) | Michael Brantley (L) | Alex Bregman (R) | Michael Brantley (L) 5. Yuli Gurriel (R) | Yuli Gurriel (R) | Yuli Gurriel (R) | Yuli Gurriel (R) 6. Carlos Correa (R) | Carlos Correa (R) | Carlos Correa (R) | Carlos Correa (R) 7. Josh Reddick (L) | Josh Reddick (L) | Taylor Jones (R) | Josh Reddick (L) 8. Aledmys Diaz (R) | Kyle Tucker (L) | Josh Reddick (L) | Kyle Tucker (L) 9. Martín Maldonado (R) | Martín Maldonado (R) | Martín Maldonado (R) | Dustin Garneau (R) 5. Though he hasn’t played much yet, Abraham Toro now has a path to meaningful playing time. Díaz will be out for the foreseeable future after straining his groin while running the bases in the fifth inning of the season. He had been poised to be a part-time designated hitter and the top reserve at first base, second base and third base. Díaz’s injury made Toro the top reserve at third base. Jones being optioned on Monday made Toro the top reserve at first base. And Toro could continue to garner some DH at-bats, too, as he did in Sunday’s loss. Díaz has frequently been injured in his year-plus with the Astros. A hamstring strain cost him significant time last season, and his participation in summer camp was slowed early by a shoulder issue. Díaz’s presence would’ve put Toro on the bubble when rosters drop down to 26 in a few weeks. Now, Toro looks to have some staying power.
Generally agree with Kaplan, but Reddick has had at least 2 batters between him and Brantley in every game negating the issue he brought up regarding batting order. As he brought up in point 3, there isn't much evidence suggesting Tucker has a split issue batting against LHPs. Hinch seemed to trust Tucker more against lefties than righties. It just is weird that Tucker has done nothing, but crush left handed pitching (even in 2018), but is being treated as a guy with horrible splits against lefties. Edit: I don't expect Tucker to keep having a huge reverse spllt as I expect the pitcher handedness will not matter much to him in the long run either way.
I know this is meant as a joke, but he tends to wear down suggesting soreness/fatigue is a big issue for him.
