MIAMI -- The additions of Carlos Correa, Jesús Sánchez and Ramon Urias at the Trade Deadline added some depth to the Astros’ lineup, and the possible returns of Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers and even Isaac Paredes from injuries in the coming weeks would shore up the lineup further.
Then there are a couple of guys who’ve been here all along and are starting to put their slow starts to the season in their rearview mirror. Christian Walker, Houston's biggest offseason acquisition, and catcher Yainer Diaz continued swinging hot sticks in the Astros’ 7-3 win over the Marlins on Tuesday night at loanDepot park.
Walker doubled to push Correa to third base in the fifth inning and Diaz followed that with a towering three-run homer to left-center field -- a Statcast-projected 405 feet -- to put the Astros ahead, 7-1. Diaz is slashing .360/.373/.640 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 12 games since July 22.
“That was the swing we needed there to put the game in a different spot for us,” Astros manager Joe Espada. “Once he cleared the bases there, we were, ‘OK, here we go.’”
Espada said Diaz’s resurgence has been as simple as swinging at strikes, not chasing as much out of the zone and using the middle of the field.
“And if he stays there and we get that contribution from him, it would be huge for our lineup,” Espada said.
Meanwhile, Walker -- who was signed to a three-year, $60 million deal in the winter -- is slowly recovering from his woeful start. He is hitting .280/.331/.455 with 23 RBIs in 34 games since June 22 and .286/.370/.508 in 17 games since July 19.
“I feel competitive,” Walker said. “There’s no rhyme or reason, just chipping away and putting in work. I feel like things are trending back to what I’m used to doing at the plate. On the year, obviously, the numbers are down with the slow start, but the last four weeks, six weeks or so, they’re pretty similar to what I expect out of myself moving forward.”
Houston has scored 15 runs in the first two games against the Marlins after being held to five runs in a three-game sweep at the hands of Boston last weekend. Every Astros starter had a hit Tuesday, with Correa, Jose Altuve and Jesús Sánchez leading the way with two each, and Jeremy Peña -- who returned to the lineup Friday after missing more than a month with a fractured rib -- had a two-run triple in the fourth.
Altuve’s two-run homer in the first off Marlins starter Cal Quantrill was the 728th extra-base hit of his career, moving him past Lance Berkman and into sole possession for third place on Houston’s all-time list behind Hall of Famers Craig Biggio (1,104) and Jeff Bagwell (969).
“It's a good collection of offensive players, and they've always pitched well,,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “They just find a way with whatever circumstances come up, just to continue to find ways to win games. They swung the bats well tonight, they're an aggressive offense, but they're aggressive to what they're looking for. They put some timely swings on balls with some runners on base, and that can be the difference in the outcomes of games.”
The Astros used lefty reliever Steven Okert as an opener and got 1 2/3 innings from him and one out from Kaleb Ort before turning the ball over to No. 12 prospect AJ Blubaugh, who gave up two solo homers in five innings in relief, picked up his first Major League win.
Blubaugh, who’s a starter, was pitching in his second Major League game. He touched 98 mph with his fastball, showed effective breaking balls and attacked the zone with confidence.
“It feels pretty good to get that first [win] out of the way and Yainer having my back the whole way was really fulfilling,” Blubaugh said. “I was just excited for the opportunity to compete again. Every time we get the ball, it doesn’t matter where it is, I feel where I belong on the mound and I felt really good tonight.”