J.J. Matijevic (6) and Korey Lee (5) just hit back-to-back homers to put Sugar Land up 19-0 in Albuquerque. In the 7th inning.
And Alex De Goti homered again to make it 20-0. Lost in that onslaught was Brandon Bielak throwing six shutout innings: H, 2 BB, 7 K
Michael Papierski also hit a home run today, his first of the season. Lewis Brinson hit his 4th homer.
Are we sure that Papierski just didn't walk on a pitch in the dirt, picked up the ball to throw back to the pitcher but accidentally threw it over the fence?
I am hoping that Matijevic is the first callup if/when any position player hits the IL. I think it would be pretty valuable to get him 100-200 pa in the majors this season to see if it looks like he might be a viable candidate to be the everyday 1B (or LF) next season. If they can feel good about their 4 returning established hitters plus Pena, Meyers, and Matijevic, maybe they stick with McCormick in LF, Matijevic at 1B, and Leon replacing Diaz, which would allow them to use all their available money on extensions or starting pitching (which they will need assuming Verlander hits free agency again).
I expect Verlander to be offered another 1+1 extension before the season ends at a rate that will keep him here. Cranes offer to keep him in Houston for as long as he wants to pitch stands.
Hard to predict. Verlander didn’t take a discount to stay here this season and I don’t believe he’s gonna take one to stay next season. The pace he’s on he will be looking to top Scherzers deal. He may be looking at something like $160M/4yrs. Not saying Crane won’t do that but it’s gonna be painful.
Crane hasn't shown any problems paying a lot of money for a short term contract. He paid Verlander 66 million for 2 seasons, and gave him a 50 million dollar contract after TJS and being two years older. I suspect we give him 70-80 million for the next 2 years if he keeps going the way he is going. I see Verlander taking it because he we will be good for another 2 years before everyone's contract comes due.
Diosmerky Taveras vs. Greenville: 4 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 8 K Taveras, a 22-year-old Dominican who is listed at 6-5, 256 on his MiLB.com page, had a nice cameo in Asheville to end 2021, but it's been a bit of a rough start for him in the early going in his return. The good news is that he has yet to allow a home run this year. The bad news is that he entered tonight with 15 walks in 12.1 innings, which has probably been a big factor in his struggles.
Astros player development in the upper levels is magically connected to whichever position on the big league club has a pending free agent or is declining. Matijevic hits another home run tonight. Yuli a free agent after this season. Like Pena and Jake Meyers/Chas McCormick before him, JJ Matijevic will rise to the occasion to keep the Astros machine moving along.
Nerio Rodriguez hit his 6th home run of the year for Asheville. The six homers are a career high, which he actually set last week with a solo homer in Greensboro. It only took him 20 games to accomplish that feat.
To those who get to actually see the games, how is Hensley's defense? I feel like the glove will also be a big factor in his ability to stick in the majors since he's played every infield position in AAA.
I have seen him play in person several times but not this season and I think I’ve only seen him play short once. He’s looked fine, and I think he’s a good defender at the corners. And I think he would be “good enough” playing 10-15 games a year at SS and/or 2B. He’d also probably be average in RF/LF. I don’t think his defense will be the limiting factor in him panning out as a utility player, but his defense in the middle infield won’t be good enough to carry him if he doesn’t hit well. Dude is TALL. He’s kind of like Taylor Jones in several ways, one is that he’s relatively new to being fully dedicated to the sport, another is he looks more like a basketball SF than a big league infielder. Like Jones I think he may have some unexpected upside in his bat.
Miguel Ullola and Bryant Salgado combined on a 2-0 shutout win for Fayetteville. Ullola: 3 IP, 2 H, K Salgado: 6 IP, 2 H, BB, 5 K Ullola, 19 (he turns 20 on June 19), is currently the youngest active pitcher on the Fayetteville roster (Alimber Santa is on the IL). He was activated from the IL to start this month. Ullola struck out 38 in 24.1 innings between the complex leagues in his pro debut last year. Opponents only hit .145 against him as well, so like Carlos Calderon, a strong showing could put him at the forefront of the next wave of Latin pitchers the Astros have at the lower levels.
