On Wednesday, the Houston Astros won a pivotal game against Bryce Miller and the Seattle Mariners.
Losing that game would have meant the M’s surpassed the Astros in the standings, but Houston’s offense made sure to have a word.
Some of the stars of the night were the usual suspects: Yordan Alvarez, the Mariners’ worst nightmare, hit a home run, and Kyle Tucker had a key run-scoring double.
The real star of the game was, in fact, a somewhat unexpected one: Michael Brantley.
Brantley missed the last 10 days with what was called “general soreness,” but he sure had a huge impact on Wednesday’s must-win affair.
“At one point, Michael Brantley wasn’t certain to return to @MLB after shoulder surgery. Entering tonight, he hadn’t played in 10 days. And he got 4 hits in a game the @Astros desperately needed. Thanks to the classy veteran for his time on @MLBNetwork,” MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted.
At one point, Michael Brantley wasn’t certain to return to @MLB after shoulder surgery.
Entering tonight, he hadn’t played in 10 days.
And he got 4 hits in a game the @Astros desperately needed.
Thanks to the classy veteran for his time on @MLBNetwork. https://t.co/CGrirWim0Z
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) September 28, 2023
Brantley went 4-for-5 with a double, a run, and an RBI on the night.
With the impressive performance, the lefty-hitting outfielder is now at .319/.327/.489 with a .816 OPS in 13 games.
The Astros lineup is much, much different with Brantley in it.
He is one of MLB’s best and most consistent contact hitters, a nice complement to the immense power Houston boasts with Alvarez, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, Chas McCormick, and others.
If he manages to remain healthy enough to play, the offense will have another elite option to lengthen the lineup against some of the best pitching staffs in the league and, if the Astros make it that far, the playoffs.
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