Astros (71-62) update: After completing a 3-4 trip with Wednesday’s 10-0 win over the Phillies, Houston holds a 3½-game lead over Seattle in the American League West. … The Astros are 0-3 against the Royals this year, having been swept in an April 9-11 series at Kansas City. … The Astros have an MLB-best 2.70 ERA since Aug. 1. … Houston is 5-0 in Kikuchi’s five starts since he joined the team. He is 2-0 with a 2.89 ERA with the Astros. … In 25 career games against the Royals, Yordan Alvarez is slashing .352/.459/.747 with nine home runs and 21 RBIs. … In his first seven games as an Astro, outfielder Ben Gamel is hitting .435 (10-for-23) with a 1.002 OPS.
Royals (75-59) update: Kansas City, contending for a division title after losing 106 games a year ago, was unable to complete a sweep of a four-game series at Cleveland on Wednesday and stands a game behind the Guardians in the AL Central. … If they win their division, the Royals would be the first team in MLB history to do so after a 100-loss season. Only two teams, the 2017 Twins and 2020 Marlins, made the playoffs after a 100-loss season, both as wild cards. … Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who if not for Aaron Judge would be the MVP front-runner in the AL, leads the majors in batting (.346), hits (185) and runs (114). He also has 28 home runs, 39 doubles, 11 triples, 27 stolen bases, 95 RBIs and an OPS of 1.017. … Witt’s MLB-best 56 multi-hit games (including 19 with at least three hits) are more than double his 26 hitless games. … Salvador Perez leads all major league catchers in OPS (.829), slugging (.489) and RBIs (94). Perez’s .281 batting average is third among catchers after the Astros’ Yainer Diaz (.297) and Brewers William Contreras (.283), and his 25 home runs trail only the 27 of the Mariners’ Cal Raleigh.
Aug 29, 2024
Photo of Steve Schaeffer
Steve Schaeffer
Assistant Sports Editor
Steve Schaeffer is the Assistant Sports Editor for the Houston Chronicle. He can be reached at steve.schaeffer@houstonchronicle.com.
A native Oklahoman and University of Arkansas graduate who oversees Astros coverage among other duties, Steve joined the Chronicle in 1993 after previous newspaper stints at the Houston Post and Tulsa World. For two years, he was Sports Director for KBRS, a now-defunct radio station in Springdale, Ark.
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