Having four left-handers in the bullpen is considered a luxury relative to roster construction, and the Houston Astros have weaponized their quartet of southpaw relievers to maximum benefit this season.
Astros manager Joe Espada summoned all four of those lefties — Steven Okert, Bennett Sousa, Bryan King and closer Josh Hader — in support of left-handed rookie starter Colton Gordon in a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday that clinched this three-game interleague series.
The Astros’ five left-handers combined for 10 strikeouts against no walks while allowing seven hits — all singles.
While the Phillies’ lineup featured six right-handed batters, the Astros’ pitchers were undaunted by that lineup configuration.
Sousa (1.57) and Hader (1.73) sport sub-2.00 ERAs, while Okert (2.52) and King (2.97) have been reliable as well. Their ability to retire right-handers and left-handers has been a boon.
“In today’s game with the three-batter rule, you have to get righties and lefties out, and those guys have been really good for us the entire year,” Espada said. “I rely on those guys. … We’re going to trust them, and I’m going to continue to give them the ball.”
Right-hander Hunter Brown (8-3, 1.88 ERA) will start on Thursday as Houston pursues the series sweep.
Brown did not factor into the Astros’ 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday after allowing one run on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts over five innings. It marked the fifth consecutive start that Brown yielded two earned runs or less, with him going 2-0 with a 1.53 ERA and 38 strikeouts across 29 1/3 innings in that span.
Brown ranks first among American League pitchers in ERA, average hits per nine innings (5.54), and opponent batting average (.178). He has faced the Phillies once previously, working 2 1/3 hitless innings of relief with one walk and three strikeouts in the Astros’ 10-0 victory on Oct. 4, 2022.
Left-hander Cristopher Sanchez (6-2, 2.87 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Phillies on Thursday.
Sanchez earned a 2-1 road win over the Miami Marlins last Thursday after allowing one run on five hits with four strikeouts over eight innings in what was his fifth consecutive start yielding two earned runs or less. He is 2-1 with a 2.14 ERA during that stretch and has seven quality starts in nine appearances over the last two months.
Sanchez will make his first career appearance against the Astros.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson had a pair of right-handed hitters — Buddy Kennedy and Johan Rojas, both of whom started on Tuesday against Astros left-hander Framber Valdez — on the bench for the middle game of the series. Left-handed hitters Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh started along with left-handed slugger Kyle Schwarber versus Gordon.
Thomson said there are multiple factors in determining platoon decisions.
“What pitches they have (matters),” Thomson said of opposing starters. “Velocity, shapes (of pitches), that type of thing. I think it’s all based on the pitcher, and how they’re swinging the bat.”
–Field Level Media
