ARLINGTON, Texas — The Silver Boot is up for grabs in this, the final series between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros during the 2024 regular season. But the Silver Boot is a back burner priority, it doesn’t really matter that the teams are deadlocked at five wins apiece.
The two Texas teams are in a fight for playoff relevancy – the Astros, trying to reestablish their seat as a dynasty at the top of the American League West and the Rangers attempting to get back to the mountaintop of Championship Glory.
Right now, neither are in a position to be in the postseason if the playoffs started today. This series won’t guarantee either team anything other than bragging rights and potentially a leg up on the quest to reach October.
Houston Astros (57-54, 2nd Place AL West, 1.0 GB) @ Texas Rangers (53-59, 3rd Place AL West, 5.5 GB)
Houston after the trade deadline
With so many starting pitchers on the injured list, Houston was going to go hard after starting pitching at the trade deadline. The full list of Houston pitchers out of action included Justin Verlander, Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy, J.P. France and Lance McCullers, Jr.
France and McCullers are out for the season and Javier and Urquidy might join that list as they have struggled to make their return to action. Houston has leaned heavily on their bullpen and on their pitching depth. Augmenting both starters and relievers had to be a priority for the Astros.
They addressed both needs with a couple of strategic moves. In exchange for two top prospects and a rookie outfielder, the Astros acquired Yusei Kikuchi from the Toronto Blue Jays. Kikuchi, whom the Rangers saw in Toronto, has had flashes of dominance and brilliance but also far more frequent moments of being hittable.
With a contract expiring at the end of the year, the package that Houston gave up seemed to be a steep one. The Jays got a huge return, no doubt, but the Astros' need was immediate and dire, especially with the number of starting pitchers on the injured list seemingly growing by the day.
The other acquisition Houston made was getting left-handed reliever Caleb Ferguson from the Yankees in exchange for a pitcher and international money. Ferguson, whose career was solely with the Dodgers before going to New York before the season began, had a 1.50 WHIP and 5.13 ERA in 33.1 innings with the Yankees and opponents were hitting .250 against him.
Ferguson doesn’t represent a game-changer of an arm, but it does take a lot of the pressure off the more frequently used relievers that Houston has had to use because of the injuries to their starters.
The matchups
Game 113, 7:05 p.m. CT - RHP Hunter Brown (9-7, 4.11 ERA) vs. LHP Andrew Heaney (4-11, 4.12 ERA)
Game 114, 7:05 p.m. CT - LHP Framber Valdez (10-5, 3.56 ERA) vs. TBD
Game 115,1:35 p.m. CT - LHP Yusei Kikuchi (4-9, 4.67 ERA) vs. TBD
Texas doesn’t have its rotation set for this final series against the Astros, beyond Andrew Heaney in the opener. That’s because Tyler Mahle could make his season and Rangers’ debut this week with a start potentially coming on Tuesday.
To recap, Mahle was signed in the offseason to a two-year deal as a free agent. Previously with the Minnesota Twins, Mahle had Tommy John surgery in May of last year and signed with Texas with the intent of getting back on the hill this year and contributing to the team next season as well.
Over the course of his seven-year career with both the Reds and Twins, Mahle has a 33-41 record with a 4.30 ERA and a 2.93 K/BB rate. In rehab, Mahle has made six starts in the Rangers’ Minor League system, putting up a 2.50 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and just a 0.833 WHIP.
Heaney is looking to get back on track from an up and down summer. Despite joining some solid starts as one of the rotation’s mainstays this year, Heaney’s last two outings have left something to be desired. Most recently, against the Cardinals, Heaney gave up six runs on six hits in 4 ⅔ innings.
The Astros are sending out some rotation regulars in Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez, while Kikuchi makes his second start for his new team. Brown had a rough outing last time against the Pirates, giving up four runs in 5 ⅔ innings. He’s faced Texas twice this season, giving up five runs in three innings earlier in the season but bouncing back for a start where he allowed just two runs in six innings just a couple weeks ago.
Valdez had a rough time against the Pirates as well, giving up four runs in six innings. Texas has managed to avoid facing Valdez so far this year in each of the three other series between the clubs. The most recent time that Valdez faced the Rangers came in last fall’s ALCS where Texas won each game that Valdez started, including a pivotal Game 6 victory in Houston where Valdez allowed three runs while lasting just five innings.
New acquisition Kikuchi will take the hill in the finale of the series on Thursday. Kikuchi had a solid effort in his debut for Houston last time out, striking out the 11 hitters and giving up two runs in 5 ⅔ innings. Before he joined Houston, Kikuchi’s last start in a Blue Jays’ uniform was against the Rangers, a start in which he gave up five runs on eight hits in 4 ⅔ innings.
Texas is on the verge of receiving two shots in the rotation arm. But no matter how well these new additions help out, stringing together wins and getting the lineup going will be the ultimate decider for the rest of this season and that begins with this series against Houston.
Do you think the Rangers will take the season series from Houston? Share your predictions with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
