Paige: Yordan Alvarez just hit his forty-first homer of the season, driving in three runs as the Astros blanked the Mariners 7-0 on Tuesday night. But then, Seattle rallied past Houston 6-5 in extra innings on Wednesday to keep their own playoff hopes alive. That is a rollercoaster of a week.
Craig: It’s been a grind, Paige. The rotation has been decimated by injuries, and now we’re staring down the final stretch against the Oakland Athletics. We need to talk about how this team closes out the regular season.
Paige: Welcome to the Beatline Podcast Network, home of the daily Astros show. I’m Paige, and I’m joined by Craig. Today, we are previewing tonight’s matchup at the Athletics. Here is what we’ve got: first, we break down the pitching probables and why Hunter Brown needs to go deep into this game. Second, we look at the offensive lineup, focusing on Yordan Alvarez’s Triple Crown push and the injury report. And third, we give you our keys to victory and a bold prediction for the series finale.
Craig: Let’s get right into it. The standings are set, mostly. The Astros are 78-80, sitting first in the AL West. The Rangers are right there with them, but Houston holds the tiebreaker edge if things get weird. Tonight is about securing that two-game series win against Seattle, but really, it’s about momentum heading into October.
Paige: So, let’s start with the big picture. The Astros lost that thriller last night, 6-5 in ten innings. Randy Arozarena was singled home by Josh Naylor in the tenth. It’s a tough way to lose when you’re trying to build momentum. How do you shake that off?
Craig: You don’t dwell on it. You look at the next guy up. The key here is managing the bullpen. Remember, earlier this week we talked about Josh Hader being protected from consecutive days of work. Well, with the loss going to extra innings, the arm counts are critical. If they burn Hader tonight, who comes in after him? Steven Okert is on the 15-day IL, Enyel De Los Santos is also out. The depth chart is thin.
Paige: Right, and we have Bryan Abreu, Ronel Blanco, AJ Blubaugh, Bryan King, Bennett Sousa, and Logan VanWey available. That’s a lot of arms, but not necessarily a lot of high-leverage experience compared to the top tier. Who starts tonight?
Craig: It looks like Hunter Brown is getting the nod. He’s a starter, but he’s been stretched out. The Athletics are coming off a game where Bolte had a four-hit game. They are dangerous. Brown needs to keep his pitch count manageable early so the bullpen isn’t forced to play catch-up in the seventh inning.
Paige: Brown has been solid, but the Athletics have some power. We saw Bolte tear it up recently. If Brown can’t get through six innings, we are looking at a heavy lift for the relievers. What’s the strategy there?
Craig: The strategy is platoon splits. The Athletics have left-handed hitters who thrive against right-handed starters. Brown needs to mix his fastball with his slider effectively. If he falls behind in the count, he’s asking for trouble against a team that’s already confident after Bolte’s performance. We need to see him attack the zone early.
Paige: Exactly. Attack the zone. Don’t let them get comfortable. If Brown gets those early outs, maybe the rest of the bullpen doesn’t have to face a full lineup twice. That’s the hope. But what if he struggles? Then we’re relying on guys like Joshua Hendrickson or Peter Lambert, who are more starting pitchers than relievers. Do we use them as long-relief?
Craig: It’s possible. If Brown goes five innings and gives up three runs, you might pull him for a fresh arm. But honestly, with the roster construction, you want to keep your best arms for the highest leverage spots. So, you’d rather have Brown go six innings and let Abreu or Hader handle the late frames. It’s a risk, but it’s the only way to preserve the closer.
Paige: That makes sense. Preserve the closer. Okay, so we’re hoping for a strong outing from Brown. Let’s pivot to the offense. Yordan Alvarez just hit his forty-first homer. He’s pushing for the Triple Crown. Can he carry this team against the Athletics?
Craig: He absolutely can. Alvarez is having a monster year. On Tuesday, he drove in three runs in a 7-0 shutout. That kind of dominance is exactly what Houston needs. When Alvarez is clicking, defenses have to respect his pull power. That opens up gaps in the outfield for the rest of the lineup.
Paige: And we’ve seen this before. In previous episodes, we predicted Alvarez would drive in runs or hit a home run in this series. He delivered on Tuesday. But yesterday, the offense struggled in the ninth inning against the Mariners. They couldn’t get the tying run across until the tenth. What changed?
Craig: Plate discipline. Against Seattle’s bullpen in the ninth, they were chasing pitches outside the zone. Alvarez is great at taking walks and working counts, but the guys around him need to be more selective. The Athletics have a pitcher who can miss bats, but if you swing at junk, you’re out.
Paige: So, who else needs to step up? We have Jose Altuve, Christian Walker, Isaac Paredes, and Nick Allen. Also, Jeremy Pena is day-to-day. Is he playing?
Craig: Pena is day-to-day with an injury. If he’s not ready, Nick Allen takes over at shortstop. Allen is a solid defender, but offensively, you want Pena’s ability to make contact. Walker is crucial too. He provides power from the one-hole or two-hole depending on the lineup card. He needs to get on base and let Alvarez drive him in.
Paige: Walker has been consistent. And what about the outfield? We have Cam Smith, Lucas Spence, Taylor Trammell, Nelson Velazquez, LaMonte Wade Jr., and Daulton Varsho. Varsho is day-to-day as well. This is a crowded outfield.
Craig: It is crowded. But depth is good. If Varsho is out, you can slide someone else in. The key is getting runners in scoring position. The Athletics’ defense isn’t the worst in the league, but they make mistakes. Houston needs to manufacture runs if the big hits aren’t coming. Small ball, bunts, steals. Anything to pressure the defense.
Paige: Small ball. I love that. Especially with the bullpen concerns. If the offense scores early, the relievers have an easier job. But if it’s a tight game, every run matters. What about the injuries? We have Andres Munoz day-to-day, Brendan Donovan on the 7-day IL, Brennen Davis on the 60-day IL, Cole Wilcox on the 15-day IL, Will Wilson on the 60-day IL, Craig Burrows on the 60-day IL. That’s a lot of bodies missing.
Craig: It’s a lot. Munoz being day-to-day is significant for the bullpen depth. If he can’t go, you’re using even more of the lower-tier guys. Wilcox is gone for a while. Burrows is out for the season basically. It forces managers to make tough calls. Who do you trust in the eighth inning? That’s the real question.
Paige: Trust is hard to come by when you’re stretching guys out. But Houston has done it before. They’ve won the division despite these hurdles. How does Alvarez fit into this specific matchup against Oakland?
Craig: Alvarez is the anchor. If he gets hot, the whole team rides his coattails. His launch angle is perfect for the Oakland park, which tends to favor power hitters. If he’s swinging the bat like he did Tuesday, he can single-handedly win this game.
Paige: So, keys to the series. First, Hunter Brown goes deep. Second, Alvarez drives in at least two runs. Third, the bullpen survives without burning out their best arms. Any other keys?
Craig: Defense. Get the ball back cleanly. No errors. Errors lead to rallies, and against a team like the Athletics, you can’t afford to give them free runs. Keep the game low-scoring, rely on the offense to strike once, and protect the lead with the best arm available.
Paige: I agree. Defense and timely hitting. Now, Craig, give us a bold prediction. We know the Astros are fighting for the division title, but also for momentum. Where do you see this ending?
Craig: I’m going to say the Astros win this game 5-3. Alvarez hits another home run, and Bryan Abreu closes it out cleanly in the ninth. The Athletics put up a fight, but Houston’s depth wins out in the end.
Paige: 5-3. Alvarez with another homer. I like it. We’ll see if Abreu can close it out. Alright, that’s our preview. We’ve covered the pitching, the injuries, the offense, and the keys to victory. Thanks for listening.
Paige: We wrapped up a massive preview of the Astros' final stretch against the Athletics. If you enjoyed today's breakdown, please subscribe, rate, and review us on your favorite podcast platform. Your support helps us bring you this content every single day.
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Paige: Thank you so much for your generosity. It means the world to us. Now, get ready for tonight’s game. Go Astros! Luv Ya!