With baseball still on hiatus, we continue to simulate games for the 2020 MLB season. Here are the results for April 20-23 for the AL.
The Houston Astros appear determined to prove that they can win games without electronic assistance, too.
The Astros ran their winning streak to 11 games this week with a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays in Houston. And the Astros didn’t mess around, out-scoring the Rays 38-10 in the four games.
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That sweep extended the Astros’ record in our 2020 simulation to 19-6 and their lead in the AL West to seven and one-half games. With a team average of .319, Houston leads the American League in hitting; the Astros also lead in on-base average (.403), slugging (.560), and runs per game (7.4). They are tied with the Minnesota Twins for the lead in home runs, each team with 53.
Nor are the Astros one-dimensional. They also lead the league in fewest hits allowed (184) and fewest runs (82).
The AL Central leaders stood still this week, the Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians both splitting four-game stands. The Twins deadlocked with lowly Seattle, while Cleveland lost the Monday wrapup of a weekend series with Boston before taking two of three from visiting Oakland.
In the AL East, Detroit held the New York Yankees to a split of their four-game series, allowing Boston – which won three of four – to pick up a game in the standings. The Red Sox now trail the Yankees by just one-half game.
Xander Bogaerts saw his average settle to .393 but still assumed the league leadership from Brandon Lowe, who managed just four hits in 14 at-bats against the Astros. Houston’s Framber Valdez became the league’s first five-game winner Thursday when he and two relievers shut out the Rays 9-0. Valdez allowed just two hits over his seven innings.
Collin McHugh held Cleveland without an earned run into the seventh inning Monday and retained the ERA leadership at 1.69.