The Houston Astros are getting hot at exactly the right time, and manager Joe Espada wants everyone to know who made it happen. After Monday night’s 6-4 comeback win over the Los Angeles Angels, Espada didn’t just talk about the usual stars.
He pointed to a pitcher who hadn’t thrown in a while.
Cristian Javier went five innings, struck out seven, and gave Houston a chance. That, combined with a ninth-inning rally, pushed the Astros to their sixth win in the last seven games. They’re now 53-55, two games under .500, but suddenly looking like they might not be sellers after all.
Espada was clearly fired up in the postgame presser. “That was a big team effort,” he said. “Cristian Javier. I think he deserves a ton of credit. Hasn’t pitched in a while. He went five innings, punches out seven, gave us an opportunity to win. And our offense, these guys are resilient. These guys fight. I tip my hat to those guys in there. They love playing for one another, and they find ways to win games, and that’s what good teams do.”
The quote landed with some weight given the timing. The trade deadline is August 3, and for weeks the rumor mill has pegged Houston as potential sellers. But a six-game hot streak in late July changes the conversation fast.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal recently reported that the Astros are now more likely to buy than sell before the deadline. The front office, apparently, still thinks this group can make noise in a wide-open AL West. The logic is simple: if you’re six games back in your division and you’ve got a pulse, you don’t punt the season. Especially when that division is filled with flawed teams.
Espada didn’t say anything about trades or front-office strategy. But his tone made the clubhouse’s position clear. These guys think they can run it back. And Monday night, they showed why.
The Astros and Angels meet again Tuesday in the second game of the series. Houston will send another starter to the mound looking to keep the momentum going. If the bats stay hot and Javier can build on his return, the next 48 hours could reshape the entire deadline for the American League.
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