Sure, the Houston Astros lost a 9-8 thriller to the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon but that became a side headline. The real news surrounded Yordan Alvarez and his right knee contusion along with Josh Hader’s meltdown.
To put the loss in perspective, though, one has to look at where the Astros’ Magic Number sits. The Texas Rangers rallied late in Arlington, Texas, to defeat the Seattle Mariners. This shrunk the Magic Number to one for Houston to clinch another American League West Division crown. It would be their seventh division title in eight seasons. The Astros host Seattle in their final regular-season home series at Minute Maid Park. That series starts on Monday night and it could be party time in H-Town with one win. That’s all they need.
Houston Astros Look To Alvarez’s Knee
Things got sticky for the Houston Astros in the third inning. Alvarez smoked a double. He rounded first base and slid into second to avoid making an out. Yet when Alvarez slid, he popped right up and grabbed at his right leg. Alvarez was in discomfort and it brought out Astros manager Joe Espada and a trainer to second base.
“We’ve just got to take care of our business,” Espada said after the game, MLB.com reported. “Yordan is not great. That’s not what you want right now, but we just got to get ready for [Monday].”
Yordan Alvarez leaves the game with an injury after hitting a double and hurting himself while sliding. pic.twitter.com/bezSqY8PgI
— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) September 22, 2024
After watching Alvarez wince while grabbing at his knee area, Espada pulled him from the ballgame. Later on, the Houston Astros released information that their slugging outfielder-designated hitter suffered a knee contusion. This language has become quite familiar to Astros fans and followers this season. Why? Because outfielder Kyle Tucker also had suffered a right leg shin contusion.
But a few months later, the ballclub informed team reporters and the public that Tucker had suffered a shin fracture. With this news about Alvarez’s knee, there might be some concern that his status is worse than the Houston Astros are letting on. The Astros did not release any more news about Alvarez’s health on Sunday night. There’s a possibility of getting an update on him on Monday. Espada added after Sunday’s loss that Alvarez was undergoing imaging tests on Sunday.
“Not what I wanted to see when I ran out there,” Espada said. “It’s pretty sore. Just when he slid, his weight on the knee and just the way it handled. … Hopefully we get some good news here.” It’s worth noting that Alvarez had knee issues earlier in his career which led to having arthroscopic surgeries on both knees in 2020.
Hader Has Nightmarish Ninth Inning
As for Hader, the big free-agent signing for the Astros’ bullpen has 33 saves this season. Yet there have been hiccups here and there throughout this season. On Sunday afternoon, Hader just didn’t have his best stuff at all. Houston had rallied for a 6-5 lead entering the Angels’ half of the ninth. All Hader had to do is shut down one of baseball’s off-and-on offenses.
Hader didn’t accomplish the mission. He gave up four runs in the top of the ninth for a 9-6 Angels lead. Yet with a club like the Angels, who are in last place in the AL West, a comeback is always possible. That is just what happened for the Astros.
“Can’t let the first guy get on, that was the first problem,” Hader said. “Hung a slider to Pillar and then they just started jumping on the fastball up.”
Big Poppa is bigger in Texas, too 🤠#RepTheHalo pic.twitter.com/O2c3p1JCPs
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) September 22, 2024
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve hit a solo home run in the fifth inning. It secured a 20-home run, 20-stolen base season for Altuve, his first since 2017 (when the Astros won their first World Series title). Third baseman Alex Bregman added a two-run home run, his 25th long ball this season, to put Houston top 4-0.
But Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto connected for two homers. His second one, off Astros reliever Bryan Abreu, put the Angels back in the ballgame. Neto’s three-run double off Hader gave Los Angeles the lead for good. Hader and his bullpen mates, including Hector Neris, just could not nail the victory down at Minute Maid Park. Neto had six RBIs in Sunday’s win for Los Angeles.
“At the end of the game there, his last three at-bats he took the game over,” Angels manager Ron Washington said, The Associated Press reported. “He has that capability. … He got us the win.”
Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti put together a solid six innings of work. But Espada had to take him out after six innings due to a cramp in his calf. Turning to the bullpen usually ends up with a positive result for Espada and the Astros. Well, that didn’t happen on Sunday at all. The bullpen, in three innings of work, gave up seven runs and seven hits. Neris, who rejoined the Astros after being released by the Chicago Cubs, gave up a pair of runs. He only got one out in his appearance, a less-than-stellar effort on his part.
Then, well, Hader went out and suffered his fourth blown save this season. After the game, Arrighetti, who gave up two runs and struck out six during his 78-pitch outing, talked about his strategy on the mound.
“I want to give us a chance to win, and I think I accomplished that goal for the most part,” Arrighetti said. “Baseball is a crazy game, and that was an extra-crazy game. I think overall I feel like I executed pretty well across the board.”
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Yanier Diaz and Victor Caratini connected for RBI singles. The Astros had the game-tying run at third base with two outs. But Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña struck out for the third and final out.
As if the Astros didn’t have enough injury news to worry about, general manager Dana Brown had an update about outfielder Ben Gamel. Gamel, who was picked up by the ballclub after being released by the New York Mets, is likely out for the rest of this season. Gamel suffered a fractured left fibula.
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