Post by Commissioner Erick on Aug 1, 2021 13:17:21 GMT -5
Houston Astros (42-29) @ Baltimore Orioles (42-29)
HOU: Jorge Cotto (9-5, 4.37)
BAL: Tommy Stanfield (7-3, 3.94)
Astros 5 Key Stats
20.0: Houston’s strikeout rate, eighth in the AL. After finishing third worst in 2025 and worst in 2026, Houston has been league average, which has helped its offense.
21: Ichisake Ochiai’s home run total, tied for second in the AL. Ochiai won the Right Field Platinum Stick Award last year in his sophomore season, and is on pace for more hardware in 2026. Only 23, he’s one of the league’s brightest stars after being acquired in the Alex Bregman deal.
.436: Casey Gillaspie’s OPS. Gillaspie was supposed to help turbocharge Houston’s offense, but he’s started just seven games and is batting .163. If he can return to form, he’ll give Houston another slugger for opponents to fear.
9: Jorge Cotto’s win total, second in the AL. The deGrominator had a nice WBC with a 1-0 record in two starts, a 2.79 ERA, no home runs, 16 strikeouts, and a 1.03 WHIP in 9.2 innings. He’s continued to strike batters out in the PBA at a good clip, and has walked just 15 batters in 90.2 innings. He has a 4.37 ERA, but just a 3.87 FIP.
10: The number of consecutive games Houston plays against 2025 division winners. They have a four game set in Baltimore, followed by three in Detroit, then a three game home series against Baltimore.
Orioles 5 Key Stats
18-9: Baltimore’s record in its last 27 games. After a middling start to the season, the Orioles took the final two of a series with the Nationals, won a series in Minnesota, and have been playing good baseball ever since. They lost two of three to Tampa Bay during the stretch, the only full series played against a current division winner, so the series against Houston will be a good test to see where Baltimore stands.
3.7: Wessell Russchen’s WAR total, second in the AL. Russchen leads the AL in runs with 54 and is batting .319 with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs. He also has 18 doubles, four triples, and 11 steals, while striking out just 46 times. He also has a 4.3 Zone Rating in Center Field. He hasn’t been elite in any specific category, but has been excellent in all facets of the game.
16: Joe DeCarlo’s home run total. After leading the league in home runs two straight years and terrorizing the AL last postseason, DeCarlo is having a down year. He has good power stats with the 16 homers and 40 RBIs, but it’s way off the 60-homer, 120 RBI pace he set for himself the last two years. He also has a sub-300 OBP. DeCarlo has the potential to take Baltimore’s offense to the next level, but he hasn’t played his best this year.
363: Baltimore’s run total this year, tied for fourth in the AL. The Orioles were a generational offense last year, but despite more talent this season haven’t been quite as dominant. The team is first in home runs, but just sixth in average as several key hitters have slumped in that department this season.
3: Tommy Stanfield’s number of losses the last two seasons. After completing an 18-0 campaign last year, Stanfield is 7-3. Stanfield’s superficial numbers are worse than they were in his 18-0 season, but he’s still striking hitters out at a high rate and he’s dramatically reduced his home run total. He’s coming off 8 shutout innings in Cleveland.
Questions for the GMs:
For Neil Ehm, Casey Gillaspie has struggled this year. How will you use him in the second half?
You recently gave the starting Catcher job to Nick Chesley, but he has just two extra base hits this year. Will you give the job back to Wyatt Cross?
Antonio Santillan has been outstanding as a closer. He was groomed to be a potential starter though. Will he instead be your closer for the foreseeable future?
For Vic Black, both Madman Mike Floyd and Nick Dunn are dealing with minor injuries. Will they play today or get the game off?
Wessell Russchen has been dealing with a bad back. Will he continue to try to tough it out, or will you put him on the IL to give him a chance to get to full strength?
Michael Feliz is close to finishing his rehab assignment. Will he be called up today?
TRIVIA: Austin Meadows is fourth in career Triples and tied for seventh in career Doubles. Who is the only other player to be in the Top 10 in both categories?
HOU: Jorge Cotto (9-5, 4.37)
BAL: Tommy Stanfield (7-3, 3.94)
Astros 5 Key Stats
20.0: Houston’s strikeout rate, eighth in the AL. After finishing third worst in 2025 and worst in 2026, Houston has been league average, which has helped its offense.
21: Ichisake Ochiai’s home run total, tied for second in the AL. Ochiai won the Right Field Platinum Stick Award last year in his sophomore season, and is on pace for more hardware in 2026. Only 23, he’s one of the league’s brightest stars after being acquired in the Alex Bregman deal.
.436: Casey Gillaspie’s OPS. Gillaspie was supposed to help turbocharge Houston’s offense, but he’s started just seven games and is batting .163. If he can return to form, he’ll give Houston another slugger for opponents to fear.
9: Jorge Cotto’s win total, second in the AL. The deGrominator had a nice WBC with a 1-0 record in two starts, a 2.79 ERA, no home runs, 16 strikeouts, and a 1.03 WHIP in 9.2 innings. He’s continued to strike batters out in the PBA at a good clip, and has walked just 15 batters in 90.2 innings. He has a 4.37 ERA, but just a 3.87 FIP.
10: The number of consecutive games Houston plays against 2025 division winners. They have a four game set in Baltimore, followed by three in Detroit, then a three game home series against Baltimore.
Orioles 5 Key Stats
18-9: Baltimore’s record in its last 27 games. After a middling start to the season, the Orioles took the final two of a series with the Nationals, won a series in Minnesota, and have been playing good baseball ever since. They lost two of three to Tampa Bay during the stretch, the only full series played against a current division winner, so the series against Houston will be a good test to see where Baltimore stands.
3.7: Wessell Russchen’s WAR total, second in the AL. Russchen leads the AL in runs with 54 and is batting .319 with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs. He also has 18 doubles, four triples, and 11 steals, while striking out just 46 times. He also has a 4.3 Zone Rating in Center Field. He hasn’t been elite in any specific category, but has been excellent in all facets of the game.
16: Joe DeCarlo’s home run total. After leading the league in home runs two straight years and terrorizing the AL last postseason, DeCarlo is having a down year. He has good power stats with the 16 homers and 40 RBIs, but it’s way off the 60-homer, 120 RBI pace he set for himself the last two years. He also has a sub-300 OBP. DeCarlo has the potential to take Baltimore’s offense to the next level, but he hasn’t played his best this year.
363: Baltimore’s run total this year, tied for fourth in the AL. The Orioles were a generational offense last year, but despite more talent this season haven’t been quite as dominant. The team is first in home runs, but just sixth in average as several key hitters have slumped in that department this season.
3: Tommy Stanfield’s number of losses the last two seasons. After completing an 18-0 campaign last year, Stanfield is 7-3. Stanfield’s superficial numbers are worse than they were in his 18-0 season, but he’s still striking hitters out at a high rate and he’s dramatically reduced his home run total. He’s coming off 8 shutout innings in Cleveland.
Questions for the GMs:
For Neil Ehm, Casey Gillaspie has struggled this year. How will you use him in the second half?
You recently gave the starting Catcher job to Nick Chesley, but he has just two extra base hits this year. Will you give the job back to Wyatt Cross?
Antonio Santillan has been outstanding as a closer. He was groomed to be a potential starter though. Will he instead be your closer for the foreseeable future?
For Vic Black, both Madman Mike Floyd and Nick Dunn are dealing with minor injuries. Will they play today or get the game off?
Wessell Russchen has been dealing with a bad back. Will he continue to try to tough it out, or will you put him on the IL to give him a chance to get to full strength?
Michael Feliz is close to finishing his rehab assignment. Will he be called up today?
TRIVIA: Austin Meadows is fourth in career Triples and tied for seventh in career Doubles. Who is the only other player to be in the Top 10 in both categories?
