Over optimistic is thinking the magic shots could enable a Paredes return, perhaps.

CFTXAG10 said:

---

Mets put up a 3 piece on Kirby bottom 2

Mets 3
M's 0
Top 3rd

---

The Mets were 2-14 in their last 16 before getting the W yesterday. Hopefully their penurious band of plucky underdogs continues to get right for the moment.

I think he will have flashes of Yordan but not his consistent MVP caliber self

Mathguy64 said:

---

BadAggie said:

---

Meyers has been out what, a month? I'm sure the rust will be gone quickly

Yordan's presence in the lineup should benefit the rest.

Javier's return gives plenty of reason to think Luis can successfully return

---

Jake has been out almost 6 weeks. July 6 was the injury.

---

I think some are underestimating the loss and subsequent return of Meyers. He is our Kyle Tucker this year…. Smith kinda was, but his production has fallen off,,,,,, Meyers was the big loss…..


teams are finding ways to get Smith, Trammel, Diaz, Walker, and Melton out in a pinch…..…. Altuve has expanded his zone to make up for these limp ass bats…. Correa was a great addition, but they are pitching around him…..


we've got to get real major leaguers back in this lineup. Alvarez may be back by Friday.


this bull pen trouble is short lived, 3 pitchers come back at the end of the week.

Need to get Melton's .464 OPS out of the lineup asap

The loss of Meyers and Pena at just about the same time wiped out the baserunning aggression we were starting to see at the top of the lineup. It made a huge difference.

Feels like Caratini's usage has been down this month.

Source: #Rays are signing UTIL Cooper Hummel to a minor league deal pic.twitter.com/Hbnv4sOh5B

— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) August 18, 2025

Caratini is your backup catcher but wouldn't you want him in the lineup every day at this point? So DH him.

Then put Altuve at 2B

You have two corner outfielders.

Then out of Trammell, Chas, and Melton start Trammell in CF until Jake returns.

That would give you the best order using the currently available players.

We're gonna see Chas or Melton in the lineup in Detroit given that large outfield

Is Meyers dead?

Luckily the Mariners are sucking too.

Mets knock out Kirby in the 5th with 4 more runs

Mets 7
M's 1
Bottom 5th

Jake will be back shortly probably during next home stand


CF Jake Meyers
Injury: Right calf strain
IL date: July 11 (10-day IL)
Expected return: August
Status: Meyers is working out in West Palm Beach and is increasing his volume running and swinging the bat, and he will start doing some defensive work soon. He's getting close to game action. (updated Aug. 12)

https://www.mlb.com/news/astros-injuries-and-roster-moves?partnerID=mlbapp-iOS_article-share

Detroit Series

Mon Arrighetti v Flaherty
Tue Brown v Skubal
Wed Framber v CFM

I'm setting the over/under on total Astro runs for the Detroit series at 2-1/2.

Read Chandler's story, then note - Colton Gordon (71 pitches) & Logan VanWey (22 pitches) & John Rooney (29 pitches) all pitched tonight for the Space Cowboys. Astros bullpen options for Tigers series, barring placing a pitcher on IL, are very limited. https://t.co/Nnv2f1zUCj

— Adam Wexler (@AdamJWexler) August 18, 2025

For those saying Espada is coaching for his job, I disagree. I wish he were, but he has the built in excuse of all the injuries. But I don't see how anyone who knows anything about baseball can't see that the pitching coaches are the only coaches who should be safe. Anybody who has anything to do with offense, whether it's hitting approach, base running, lineup cards, or just basic fundamentals and strategy should be around next year. We are the dumbest hitting team in all of baseball and lack any kind of approach. We are the dumbest and worst base running team in all of baseball. We have a 3rd baseball coach who makes the worst decisions on send or not. Whoever makes the decision of when to bunt, steal, hit and run, etc (I'm assuming that is Espada) makes the worst decisions at the worst times over and over again. It is truly the worst coached offense in all of baseball and anybody with hands anywhere on it needs to be gone. I believe the 3rd base coach is also the IF defensive coach. Fine, he can keep that job, but get him the hell away from base coaching from here on out. Sorry for the rant, but I find myself in awe every night of just how bad fundamentally and strategically this offense is every night.

Drunken Overseas Bettor said:

---

I'm setting the over/under on total Astro runs for the Detroit series at 2-1/2.

---

That under is mighty tempting.

That's on Dana. After all BP usage yesterday and Javier coming off injury, he needs to have a rested arm readily available to call up from Sugarland.

Dubin needs to go on the DL with Suckitis

I think Espada said he liked the way the DBacks ran the bases under Perezchica and that was another reason he was hired.

ETA:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6295508/2025/04/21/framber-valdez-sinker-bullpen-baserunning-astros-takeaways/?source=emp_shared_article

Quote:

---

"Espada hired (third base coach) Perezchica, in part, for how well the Arizona Diamondbacks ran the bases during his tenure. "

---

Drunken Overseas Bettor said:

---

I'm setting the over/under on total Astro runs for the Detroit series at 2-1/2.

---

I'm thinking the offense does pretty well for 2 of the games.

TRM said:

---

I think Espada said he liked the way the DBacks ran the bases under Perezchica and that was another reason he was hired.

ETA:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6295508/2025/04/21/framber-valdez-sinker-bullpen-baserunning-astros-takeaways/?source=emp_shared_article

Quote:

---

"Espada hired (third base coach) Perezchica, in part, for how well the Arizona Diamondbacks ran the bases during his tenure. "

---

---

Lol…in that case, that alone should get Espada fired. He's literally the worst 3rd base coach I've ever seen in mlb. What a colossal mistake giving him that job!

I'm glad I went out today instead of bothering to follow the game. Dubin ands Weems, huh? Pathetic

Good opportunity on this road trip for this team to get focused.

Should be embarrassed by their performance this weekend, definitely looked like they mailed it in

If Joe can't light a fire then perhaps Correa can

Mathguy64 said:

---

Drunken Overseas Bettor said:

---

I'm setting the over/under on total Astro runs for the Detroit series at 2-1/2.

---

That under is mighty tempting.

---

If they don'tt score 3 tomorrow, I don't think they're hitting the over !

superaggie73 said:

---

For those saying Espada is coaching for his job, I disagree. I wish he were, but he has the built in excuse of all the injuries. But I don't see how anyone who knows anything about baseball can't see that the pitching coaches are the only coaches who should be safe. Anybody who has anything to do with offense, whether it's hitting approach, base running, lineup cards, or just basic fundamentals and strategy should be around next year. We are the dumbest hitting team in all of baseball and lack any kind of approach. We are the dumbest and worst base running team in all of baseball. We have a 3rd baseball coach who makes the worst decisions on send or not. Whoever makes the decision of when to bunt, steal, hit and run, etc (I'm assuming that is Espada) makes the worst decisions at the worst times over and over again. It is truly the worst coached offense in all of baseball and anybody with hands anywhere on it needs to be gone. I believe the 3rd base coach is also the IF defensive coach. Fine, he can keep that job, but get him the hell away from base coaching from here on out. Sorry for the rant, but I find myself in awe every night of just how bad fundamentally and strategically this offense is every night.

---

Espada is the reason for so many of our injuries this year

Re bullpen

Poor Man's Hader and King now have 2 consecutive appearances each without allowing a run, De La Orgee hasn't given up a run yet in an Astros uniform. There's your 'hot hands' out of the pen at the moment.

Then Sousa, Ort. Though Sousa just looked so bad last appearance, hopefully a fluke.

Dubin, Weems - what are we doing here Dana?

Mariners lose

Still 1.5 up

I'm guessing Garcia or McCullerd will get the Thursday start in Baltimore though do you take Alexander out of the rotation at this point?

Then Javier gets Friday

Arrighetti Saturday and Brown Sunday

Unless they want both Garcia and McCullerd to get in starts on the road trip

Though I could see waiting until the first game of the next home stand v Rockies for Garcia to make his first start

AggiEE said:

---

superaggie73 said:

---

For those saying Espada is coaching for his job, I disagree. I wish he were, but he has the built in excuse of all the injuries. But I don't see how anyone who knows anything about baseball can't see that the pitching coaches are the only coaches who should be safe. Anybody who has anything to do with offense, whether it's hitting approach, base running, lineup cards, or just basic fundamentals and strategy should be around next year. We are the dumbest hitting team in all of baseball and lack any kind of approach. We are the dumbest and worst base running team in all of baseball. We have a 3rd baseball coach who makes the worst decisions on send or not. Whoever makes the decision of when to bunt, steal, hit and run, etc (I'm assuming that is Espada) makes the worst decisions at the worst times over and over again. It is truly the worst coached offense in all of baseball and anybody with hands anywhere on it needs to be gone. I believe the 3rd base coach is also the IF defensive coach. Fine, he can keep that job, but get him the hell away from base coaching from here on out. Sorry for the rant, but I find myself in awe every night of just how bad fundamentally and strategically this offense is every night.

---

Espada is the reason for so many of our injuries this year

---

As much as I dislike Espada and don't feel like he has any feel for the game as a manager, I completely disagree that he has anything to do with the injuries. It just is what it is. He's doing nothing that has caused injuries that managers haven't done before. Nobody complained when pitchers used to throw 150 pitches or when there were only 4 man rotations. Or when Cal Ripken played every game for 16+ years straight.

Would've kept Nervis over Weems

Regardless, with Garcia, McCullerd, and France set to return then need to create room

There's also Jason Alexander who I think has turned in the best starting pitching performance overall this month

Are they waiting until rosters expand to help sort this all out?

CFTXAG10 said:

---

Mariners lose

Still 1.5 up

---

If we would have swept the O's like we should have we'd be 3.5 up but the way we're playing up 1.5 is a minor miracle, hell a MAJOR miracle.

Another AL West division title race to the bottom

Overall, with the pitching returning the bullpen woes should be addressed and that plus Yordan and Jake returning should give the team what it needs to take the division.

Really, really would like to avoid the wild card, a best of 3 is just a crap shoot