Straw: Fast start
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Brandon Bielak allowed the first four Miami Marlins to reach base on Sunday, two through home runs, and the first game of Houston's Grapefruit League season was over early in a 6-1 defeat. Bielak settled down to get six consecutive outs after the eruption but the damage was done.
Bryan Abreu was also touched for two runs while three other relievers, unlikely to make the club, kept the Fish off the scoreboard.
Two Astros looking for a fast start to the season combined for four of Houston's seven hits on the day. Center fielder Myles Straw, hoping to win the starting role there replacing George Springer, singled twice in his two at bats. Reserve catcher Jason Castro, returning to Texas after a five-year absence, also had two hits including the Astros' lone RBI.
In other news, the Astros claimed infielder Robel Garcia on waivers from Anaheim, designating pitcher Justin Verlander to the 60-day injured list in order to make room for Garcia on the 40-man roster. Garcia is a Dominican whose lone big league action to date was with the Cubs in 2019. In 31 games, Garcia hit .208 but also bashed five homers. He'll be expected to vie with Abraham Toro for the final infield roster spot.
Verlander will spend much of the year recovering from Tommy John surgery last fall. He hopes to be back in time for the 2021 postseason but his contract with the Astros expires once the postseason ends so it would seem unlikely the pitching ace would risk a relapse while facing the prospect of free agency.
The Astros are playing this spring only amongst four teams who train in the southeast part of Florida to reduce risk of COVID spreading. Besides the Marlins, the other three teams in Houston's bubble are the Nationals, Cardinals and Mets - giving the Astros an all-National League Grapefruit League schedule.
On Monday, the Astros will stay in West Palm to play their bunkmates, the Washington Nationals, before a bus trip on Tuesday to confront the Mets. A day off happens Wednesday as, for the rest of the spring, the five clubs play a round robin schedule with Houston scheduled for an off-day every fifth day.
A partial crowd of 1,569 - the number of tickets available with social distancing - cheered on the players for the first time in almost a year. Players expressed enthusiasm for playing before fans again after the public was largely absent during the 2020 lockdowns. Perhaps seeing fans in the stands again was the most positive thing the Astros experienced all day.
- Bob Hulsey
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