SAN DIEGO – A possible solution to the Astros’ misery sat on the bench and saw Friday’s frustrating loss unsatisfactory. Yuli Gurriel has a career percentage of 10.8 percent. His bat control and pitch selection are among the best of the lineup. Earlier this month, manager Dusty Baker even called him the team’s best bunter.
Baker often calls Gurriel the man he most wants on the plate with a game in balance. Friday, however, the skipper stayed away from him in that exact situation. Two chances existed to call up Gurriel to strike in the team’s late 4-3 loss. Baker did not use him.
“You never want to sacrifice a game, but you’d rather sacrifice a game than hit a bad Yuli and he has to beat a double play or something, then he ends something,” Baker said. “We have enough guys on the injured list and we can definitely not pay us anymore.”
The choice to avoid Gurriel provided an insight into Baker’s delicate balancing act – one that awaited long-term investors on Friday over a possible short-term gain. Baker’s club is devastated by injuries and must do everything possible to prevent more.
On the other hand, the season is just 60 games long. A bad start, the Astros have already looked for the A’s in the American League West. Every game and decision carries more weight. Their loss moved them 3 ½ games behind the A’s in the division.
Friday’s loss cannot be blamed on Baker’s decision on Gurriel. The Astros pass their season-high with 13 strikeouts. Nine came with rounds in scoring position. They stranded the bases that were loaded in the first two innings. Starter Lance McCullers Jr. had brutal command and allowed three run-scores with two strikes.
Gurriel entered Thursday of the series against the Rockies, and Gurriel had each of the team’s first 23 games started on first base. He was eliminated only once early – after the seventh inning of Wednesday’s 13-6 win at Coors Field.
Baker knew he needed a day off, but Gurriel’s production was too valuable to sit on, especially because of injuries. Gurriel leads the team in almost every offensive statistic. His .904 OPS and 22 hits are the most to date by any Astro. His 14 strikeouts are a low among healthy, daily regulars.
Baker gave Gurriel half a day off on designated hitter on Thursday. He finished 1-for-4. Strangely, he struck out twice. Gurriel ran the bases once, after his fifth single. He was promoted to second place on Kyle Tucker’s single and trotted home on Abraham Toro’s three run home run.
“You saw Yuli run yesterday,” Baker said after Friday’s game. ‘That’s why we fired him today. He looked hurt yesterday. ‘
Baker did not say which part of the body hurt the 36-year-old Gurriel.
Baker hopes a designated heat day followed by a full off-day Gurriel would charge. The Astros are in a stretch of 17 straight games without an off-day. Pushing a player too hard can produce unusual results. Given the current plethora of diseases of Astros, Baker chose not to take chances.
That, in the eighth inning of a one-run game, allowed Baker Martín Maldonado to pass to Padres reliever Pierce Johnson. Johnson had fast eight-hole hitter Myles Straw run to start the frame.
Even if Gurriel were available, he could defend that move. Maldonado is tied for the club leadership with 17 RBIs. His .784 OPS has been a godsend at the bottom of the order. He went into Friday 5 for his last 14.
Maldonado struck out on three fields. While hitting, Straw tried to steal a second base. Padres catcher Austin Hedges defeated a missile to catch him by three steps. Another threat fizzled.
Houston had another one in the ninth. Josh Reddick coaxed a six-pitch, two-out walk against San Diego’s fill closer Emilio Pagán. The switching Toro, not Gurriel, came on the plate. Toro was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts – one five Houston hits with at least two punchouts.
Gurriel’s nine flat appearances against Pagán are more than any other major league hitter. He has no hit. Toro had only one previous at-bat against him on August 29, 2019. It ended with a solo home run.
On Friday, Toro made a brave record appearance. He worked his way forward in the count 3-1 before dropping two 95 mph fastballs. Pagan returned with another. Toro grounded it softly to second base, finished the game and strutted an 11th baserunner.
“Boy, that was hard to lose because you look back at the basics we had there,” Baker said. ‘Some guys are starting to turn the bat better. It’s still frustrating, but we have to start another race tomorrow. ”
Gurriel would then have to return.
