Astros' Alex Bregman: Modest three-game hitting streak
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Bregman went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Saturday against the Tigers.
Bregman delivered an RBI single in the fourth inning to extend his hitting streak to three games. While that's not particularly notable, he's collected a hit in three straight starts only two other times this season, with the most recent stretch ending April 15. The end result is that Bregman has just a .201 batting average across 154 plate appearances on the campaign, though he has improved his production of late by tallying six RBI across his last 13 contests.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Shelled in return
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Javier (2-1) took the loss against Detroit on Saturday, allowing seven runs on five hits and four walks with no strikeouts over 1.1 innings.
Javier was activated off the injured list Saturday to make his first start for the Astros since April 14, but the right-hander didn't look quite right in his return. In addition to getting knocked around for seven runs and throwing only 21 of 50 pitches for strikes, Javier's final two fastballs clocked in at 89.7 mph and 90.2 mph, well below this typical velocity, as Chandler Rome of The Athletic notes. It's unclear whether his struggles Saturday are an indication that Javier isn't fully recovered from the neck issue that originally sidelined him or if he was simply rusty, but he's currently penciled in to make his next start at home against Oakland.
Tucker is not in the Astros' starting lineup for Satuday's game against the Tigers, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.
Tucker has gone deep in four of his last five games, and his 12 home runs on the season are tied with Atlanta's Marcell Ozuna for most in the majors. Joey Loperfido will start in right field Saturday and bat ninth against Detroit southpaw Tarik Skubal.
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Astros' Cristian Javier: Activated from IL
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The Astros reinstated Javier (neck) from the 15-day injured list Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Javier landed on the IL on April 21 due to neck discomfort. He made one rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi on May 4, throwing 68 pitches while allowing three runs on three hits and two walks over 3.1 innings. To make room on the 40-man roster for Javier, Houston designated right-hander Brandon Bielak for assignment. Javier will start Saturday against the Tigers, though the Astros could limit his workload to ease the right-hander back into the rotation.
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Astros' Brandon Bielak: DFA'd by Houston
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The Astros designated Bielak for assignment Saturday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The move comes with Houston reinstating right-hander Cristian Javier (neck) off the 15-day injured list. Bielak made the Opening Day roster due to multiple injuries to the Astros' pitching staff and he appeared in 10 games out of the bullpen, posting a 5.71 ERA and 1.76 WHIP over 17.1 innings. Bielak is out of minor-league options, but he could draw interest from teams looking for right-handed depth in the bullpen.
Abreu threw a scoreless eighth inning while allowing one hit and striking out three to record a hold Friday against the Tigers.
Ryan Pressly (back) hasn't pitched since May 3, leaving Abreu as Houston's primary setup man. He blew the lead in his first opportunity in the role Sunday, but he performed well in Friday's appearance to tally his sixth hold of the season. Since allowing six earned runs across his first 5.2 innings of the campaign, Abreu has allowed only five earned runs across his last 15.2 frames.
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Astros' Josh Hader: Notches fifth save
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Hader earned the save in Friday's 5-2 win over the Tigers, working around a walk while striking out two in a scoreless inning.
Hader's allowed just one earned run over his last 7.1 innings while improving to 5-for-6 in converting save chances. After a shaky start to the year, the left-hander's lowered his ERA to 5.29 with a 1.35 WHIP and 27:8 K:BB across 17 innings.
Valdez (2-1) earned the win Friday over the Tigers, allowing two runs on six hits and two walks over seven innings. He struck out four.
Valdez allowed two runs on a Matt Vierling double in the third inning before blanking Detroit over his final four frames en route to his second victory of the year. It's an encouraging bounce-back effort from Valdez, who allowed five runs in a loss to Seattle in his previous start. The left-hander lowered his ERA to 3.64 with a 1.35 WHIP and 23:9 K:BB across five starts (29.2 innings). Valdez, who has walked only one batter over his past three starts, is currently scheduled for a home matchup with the A's in his next outing.
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Astros' Joey Loperfido: Remains on bench
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Loperfido is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Tigers, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Loperfido has a .316/.381/.316 slash line through his first seven big-league games, and he finds himself on the bench Friday for the fourth straight game. Jake Meyers is starting in center field and batting ninth in the series opener at Detroit.
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Astros' Corey Julks: DFA'd by Houston
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Julks was designated for assignment by the Astros on Friday, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.
Julks missed out on the Astros' Opening Day roster and has now lost his place on the 40-man roster. The 28-year-old slashed .266/.358/.444 with five home runs and 15 RBI in 31 games with Sugar Land, and he could remain with the affiliate if he passes through waivers unclaimed.
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Astros' Alex Speas: Claimed by Astros
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Speas was claimed off waivers by the Astros on Friday, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports.
Speas was designated for assignment Wednesday by Oakland after just over a month with the team, but he has quickly found a new home. The right-hander has appeared only at the Triple-A level so far this year, logging an 11.32 ERA and 2.28 WHIP across 10.1 IP with Las Vegas.
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Astros' Jacob Amaya: Sent down to Triple-A
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Amaya was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
The move will make room for Grae Kessinger (shoulder), who was activated from the 10-day IL, on the active roster. Amaya failed to reach base safely in his only big league at-bat this season.
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Astros' Grae Kessinger: Back from injured list
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Kessinger (shoulder) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Friday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Kessinger spent the minimum 10 days on the injured list recovering from shoulder discomfort before being activated Friday. In a corresponding move, Jacob Amaya was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land. Kessinger made just one start with the Astros in April before his IL stint.
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Astros' Jon Singleton: Launches two-run homer
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Singleton went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run against the Yankees in Thursday's 4-3 win.
Singleton's long ball was a first-inning, two-run shot that traveled an estimated 442 feet and gave the Astros a 3-0 lead. It was his fourth homer over a nine-game stretch that has helped him take over the starting role at first base that was made available when Jose Abreu was demoted to the minors. Singleton's recent playing time and power surge has put him on the radar in mixed fantasy leagues.
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Astros' Yordan Alvarez: Belts eighth homer
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Alvarez went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, an additional run and a double in a 4-3 victory versus the Yankees on Thursday.
Alvarez helped Houston get off to a quick start with his first-inning solo blast. He then knocked a double in the fifth inning and came around to score on a Jeremy Pena single. Alvarez had been mired in a bad slump coming into Thursday, going 3-for-32 over his previous nine games since hitting two homers against Colorado on April 27. His season slash line of .245/.325/.448 remains well below his career norm.
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Astros' Josh Hader: Records four-out save
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Hader earned a save against the Yankees on Thursday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter over 1.1 scoreless innings.
Hader was called upon with two outs and a runner on first with Houston protecting a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. He got Anthony Rizzo to pop out to end the frame, then completed the save with a scoreless ninth despite allowing a leadoff single. It was just the second time this season Hader was asked to get more than three outs, though he kept his workload relatively light by throwing 14 of his 18 pitches for strikes. The veteran closer's 5.63 ERA so far is well below his career standard, but he has converted four of his five save chances and has 25 punchouts over 16 frames.
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Astros' Ronel Blanco: Improves to 4-0
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Blanco (4-0) earned the win over the Yankees on Thursday, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks while striking out five batters over 5.2 innings.
Blanco was a bit shaky with his control, as he threw just 62 of 107 pitches for strikes and tied a season high with four free passes. However, he allowed just one extra-base hit -- an Anthony Volpe two-run homer that accounted for both runs against him. Blanco thus improved his perfect record to 4-0 on the season, and he's allowed three or fewer runs in all seven of his starts. He's also recorded five quality starts on the campaign, falling one out shy in each of his two outings during which he hasn't met that mark. Blanco has cemented his place in Houston's rotation with a 2.23 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 41:20 K:BB through 44.1 innings.
