Astros’ Yordan Alvarez Didn't Mince Words After Blowout Loss To Angels

Since being swept by the Baltimore Orioles after the All-Star break, the Houston Astros have been rolling. They have gone from outside the American League playoff race to first place in the AL West, one game ahead of the Texas Rangers.

It was a two-game lead going into action on Thursday night for both teams. However, two very different results led to the lead being cut down to one game.

The Rangers rode the right arm of Jacob deGrom to a 2-0 win over the Washington Nationals. As for the Astros, they suffered an 18-3 loss at home to the lowly Los Angeles Angels.

Looking to take control of a very winnable AL West, it was a loss that was embarrassing.

Star slugger Yordan Alvarez didn't mince words following the 15-run loss that dropped Houston to 64-64, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic.

“For us,” Alvarez said, “It’s a slap in the face to come out here tomorrow and get a victory.”

Astros Look To Rebound From Blowout Loss to Angels

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez — Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez Credit: Erik Williams | Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It certainly was a slap in the face. The second-worst team in the American League looked like the best team in the American League.

They scored runs in six of the nine innings; they pounded out 18 hits and lit up Astros starter Peter Lambert for nine runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings.

Things were so bad that manager Joe Espada summoned LaMonte Wade Jr. to pitch the ninth inning. He allowed two runs on three hits.

The Angels are not even the worst team in the AL West. The distinction belongs to the Athletics, who just happen to be the next team visiting Daikin Park this weekend for a three-game series. All signs point to Alvarez's comment becoming reality, but if there is anything we learned on Thursday night, the record is being thrown on a nightly basis in MLB.

What happened after the Orioles' sweep in July? Houston went on to win 12 of their next 13 games and found themselves taking control of a division that nobody has taken control of as we head toward late August.

All season long, nobody has taken control of the division and just when it looked like the Astros were, they dropped two out of three to the Angels. Not something you want to be doing this time of the year. To make matters worse, they lost shortstop Jeremy Peña to an injury.

Good teams respond to a loss like Houston suffered on Thursday night and rebound in the next game. That's the good thing about baseball: it's a 162-game season where you don't have to wait long to erase the memories of a 15-run loss.

Alvarez's message was loud and clear. Now it is just a matter of responding to it and the Athletics might be the best opponent to rebound against.

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