Community Picks: Los Angeles Angels 0% vs Houston Astros 0%

It's been three days since Hurricane Maria destroyed Puerto Rico and Carlos Beltran still hasn't been able to get in touch with his parents who live there. While the Houston Astros designated hitter plays with a heavy heart and prays that his family is OK in the wake of the massive storm, Beltran and his wife, Jessica, pledged to donate $1 million to relief efforts. Beltran is one of many Puerto Rican major leaguers — Cleveland shortstop Francisco Lindor, St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina and Hall of Famer Pudge Rodriguez, among them — who are searching for ways to help their torn island. Continue to Article

September 23, 2017 3:17:pm EST

Justin Verlander has only made four starts with the Houston Astros, and already manager A.J. Hinch is running out of ways to describe just how good he is. Verlander pitched one-hit ball over seven innings to remain perfect with Houston and Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer to propel the Astros to a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night. The victory gives Houston 94 wins for the first time since going 97-65 in 1999. Continue to Article

September 23, 2017 12:29:am EST

Houston Astros outfielder Carlos Beltran and his wife, Jessica, have started a relief fund to help Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in Beltran’s native Puerto Rico. The money raised will go toward the Fundacion Carlos Beltran and then be given to various charities. Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico on Wednesday. Continue to Article

September 22, 2017 5:17:pm EST

Among the least consequential effects of Hurricane Harvey, which tore through Texas in the last week of August, was that it nearly scuppered the biggest trade of this baseball season—the type of deal the analytically driven Astros weren’t supposed to make. On Aug. 25, Jeff Luhnow, the Astros’ 51-year-old general manager, left Houston with his wife, Gina, and their three-year-old son, Henry, to accompany the club on a three-game road trip to Anaheim. The Astros lost 100 games in each of Luhnow’s first two seasons, as he initiated a rebuilding effort remarkable for its depth and controversy. Continue to Article

September 22, 2017 11:08:am EST

At just 22 years old, Astros shortstop Carlos Correa is at the top of his game and has quickly become one of baseball’s brightest stars. Before Correa went down with a torn ligament in his left thumb on July 17, he was cruising toward the finest statistical season of his young career. Not only was Correa putting up career numbers, he sat near the top of the American League and MLB leaderboards in many offensive categories. Continue to Article

September 21, 2017 11:07:am EST