The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Brian McTaggart Joins The Show After Astros Take Game 2 vs Yankees

Episode Date: September 4, 2025

Brian McTaggart Joins The Show After Astros Take Game 2 vs Yankees

What can the baseball knowledge do for you? That's what Brian McTagger does for us every Thursday here on the show. First of all, great win last night. The Astros, I think, were beneficiary of a few calls. Clearly, the Yankees would agree with me on such notion. But it also underscores the value of Yoron Alvarez and what he does, the length in this lineup. And by the way, he just strikes fear in opposing teams.

And it's so nice to have him back. And I don't care if he takes a day off here and there, whatever the case may be, because I, Because obviously in my mind, Brian, the day off work because he came out with all guns of blazing that victory against the Yankees last night. Yeah, the swings on the five balls he put in play were, I mean, he crushed all five of those balls. I mean, you don't hear much about it because the balls weren't in the air generally, didn't hit any home runs. But all five balls he hit were 103.3.5 X velocity are higher. the only other person to do that

is since they started tracking the X of Velocities in 2015 is Shohei Otani. He did it last year and Alvarez has done it twice now. I mean, that was impressive. Yeah, he just adds a total different element in there. I mean, even when he came

back, the first couple of games, they're pitching around him already, even though he missed 100 games. They want no part of him. You know, he draws four walks his first eight-played appearances. He changes everything in that lineup. And I think he's going to start hitting the ball in the air eventually and doing some serious damage. I mean, he's played in what, eight games? He's slashing 435.

He's on base is over 560. And he's slugging 609. He's only hit one home run. So I think the best is still yet to come. You know, the argument is, are the Astros being patient enough? Are they being too patient? There have been a lot of single-digit number innings by a lot of. opposing pitchers the last, probably the last month or so.

Carlos Correa was asked about that in the clubhouse a couple days ago. He says, look, we're aggressive. We're a type of team that's going to try to get out in front of these things. I didn't find it ironic at all, Tag, yesterday that the Astero started to make their move with a lot of first pitch swinging. Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, facing a tough pitcher, they kind of wanted to set the tone a little bit, but especially when they got to that bullpen, they, I think they, having Devin Williams was just like putting meat in a water and they were sharks. They know he can

struggle at times and you got to get him up in the zone. And so I think they went there with the mindset. Anything up in the zone, you know, we're going to take or swing at. And he proved to be a little bit wild. So the approach against the relievers was was really good, you know, took advantage of some wildness and drew some walks and they got a couple of big hits in that eighth inning. But yeah, Correa's right. I mean, they can't go out and just change their approach. I mean, they do miss Paredes a lot just with the amount of pitches he takes. But I don't think guys like Yiner or Altuve are suddenly going to start working counts deep. I mean, Yiner did have a really good at battle late in the game.

I think he went nine pitches, ended up striking out. He fouled a bunch of pitches off. But this team is what it is. And, hey, they got Alvarez back. And, you know, we saw how much that can change the whole lineup. Continuing with Brian McTaggart here on Sports Talk 790. And Brian, every season, is kind of its own story. And Jason Alexander's been a good part of that story lately. I mean,

how about him coming out of nowhere and how long do you think he can just keep this up? He wasn't spectacular last night, gave up a couple of runs, but he has been a very important part of the Astro is trying to keep this boat afloat. Yeah, and I don't think he is going to be spectacular. He's going to do what he's done. I mean, they've won the last seven games he started, which is pretty incredible. So he's in this rotation, I think, through the end of the season. You know, he doesn't do anything fancy. He just strikes. He keeps them off balance, sinker, sweeper, change up. He's very prepared. I mean, this Yankees lineup is very dangerous. You know, I think everybody, everybody in the lineup had hit at least 18 home runs. You know, they lead to majors in home

run. So there's power up and down this lineup. So giving up a couple of home runs, you know, it's not the end of the world, but he limited the damage after that. And yeah, I mean, he's, you know, there's two or three guys you can say, where would they be without blank? And Jason Alexander is one of them, considering the injuries they've had to the rotation and another one they got yesterday was Spencer Arredegeti. Yeah, that leads me to what my next question was going to be with Arrogati.

Obviously hard to speculate. We don't know a whole lot, but obviously hard to feel encouraged by elbow inflammation. Yeah, it doesn't sound good. I mean, how many elbow inflammations have we heard this year? And I don't think any of them have come back, you know, quicker very quickly. And the fact that he's, you know, there's three and a half weeks left in the regular season.

He's going to be out two weeks. So without even knowing what's going on, the chances of him coming back and pitching at the end of the regular season, you know, don't look very good. I mean, so where are they at with the rotation right now? Well, I mean, they had a six-man rotation. And so now they have five guys in the rotation, Javier, Brown, Garcia, Valdez, and, you know, Alexander. And they have some days off coming up.

So, I mean, you can stick with a five-man rotation. That does mean that Brown, Garcia, and Valdez are going to have to pitch on four days' rest. You know, this weekend, the Astros, you know, going to be comfortable with that, or do they want to maybe slide A.J. Bluebaugh in there just to slide everybody down a day. But they have a day off Monday, and then, you know, all those guys could continue to pitch on five days of rest. So not good news, certainly, but they, the fact. that they did get Garcia back and Javier back, they do have five guys now in the rotation. And that might be the five guys they have to march forward with the end of the season and

end of the playoffs. Did you get any recounting all on Jake Myers? I know he left the game early last night in Sugar Land. Yeah, someone at Sugar Land told me that he fouled a ball off his leg or shin or something and left. So it doesn't appear. It was calf-related. So it might have just been precautionary. So I don't know more than that. I mean, he was sketchy. to play again today, take tomorrow off and then join the Astros in Arlington on Saturday. So I don't know if this changes that or not. You know, the fact that they have a four-game lead, if they have to give them a couple extra days, I think they'd be willing to do that at this point.

But we should get more information on him later today. You know, we have not talked to you on air since the whole Framber situation. It has been universal in terms of the national perspective. And I know that Joe Espada made at a point yesterday to say, You know what? I don't look at social media, but people have told me that social media has attacked the Framber Valdez situation. And hopefully it is something that will not linger for this team.

But the amount of Major League players that are now analysts that have come to the defense of Cesar Salazar and not to Framber Valdez, it certainly has hurt Framber when it comes to his national appeal. I don't know if one start or one act would cost him a contract of any length in terms of dollars or cents. But it is interesting. There is very little benefit of the doubt coming from the Framber Valdez side of things. Yeah. And I think for good reason, I mean, you know, watching it, it didn't look good, especially the way, you know,

Framber just took the ball and turned around. And it didn't seem to show, you know, much remorse or put his hand up and say, my bad. You know, I'm not going to sit here and say it was intentional. Salazar didn't seem to think it was intentional. And Espada seemed to think, you know, Salazar's explanation of it was pretty plausible. But you definitely sense that he was frustrated. I mean, maybe he threw the pitch he wanted, the pitch that Salazar didn't call. And, you know, Salazar clearly wasn't expecting it, couldn't catch it.

And maybe he didn't expect to hit him. But whatever the case, you're right, it didn't look good. And, you know, Framber a couple of times this year is, you know, questions. you know, the positioning of the defenders, the one game that ball hit to right field. It was extra bases. He wondered what Tremel was playing where he was playing. And, you know, there's been a couple other things here and there were some of the things he says that, you know, about, you know, some of the other plays, things he can't control, things like that. So, yeah, it's going to be interesting to see if he can get it together over here for his last, you know, three or four starts because like it or not, he's your number two star on the playoffs.

and they need him to pitch like he did in the playoffs in 2020 for them to have a shot behind Hunter Browns. So with Fromber, you take the good and the bad. I mean, he was really good for three months. And what, 13 starts in a row they won. And now they're struggling every time he's on the mound. So he's got to get it turned around between the ears, get it turned around on the mound and quick.

And there's been a lot of talk about, I don't know, possible disciplinary action for him or whatever. And we know that Joe Spada took him into the manager and talked to him. I mean, is there anything? I mean, is it just one of those situations where he's going to do what he's going to do and you just got to roll with it? I mean, clubhouse-wise or with the manager or with anybody? Yeah, I mean, Joe said, you know, they put it behind him.

It's over. I mean, there's nothing really they can do. I mean, Joe, you know, taught to both guys in the clubhouse together after the game. I mean, the reporters that were in the clubhouse when we got in there, Salazar with his locker with his clothes on, with his uniform on. Alvara was standing up and talking to him. Spanish. It was a, you know, a pretty emphatic conversation. And then Omar Lopez, the bench coach, came in and seemed to take them into the manager's office where they continued there.

And Joe Espada said the conversation continued there. And that, you know, Joe said what he had to say probably to Frumber. We don't know what that is. And, you know, that's probably the end of it. And so Frumber's going to get the ball here in a few days. And if he goes out there and pitch as well, it's all water under the bridge. And I think everyone moves forward.