How Hayden Wesneski's 'incredible' effort saved Houston Astros' bullpen for season-defining finale
· Yahoo Sports
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Efficiency was not Hayden Wesneski's primary goal Saturday. Effectiveness was. That he provided both put the Houston Astros in the best position they could reasonably ask going into a game 162 that will define their season.
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Wesneski, the right-hander making his 11th start back from elbow surgery, worked seven strong innings in a 13-2 blowout of the A's that allowed the Astros to rest their beleaguered bullpen ahead of Sunday, when the American League West race will be decided.
The Astros and Rangers will enter the final day of the season tied atop the AL West at 80-81. The Astros hold the tiebreaker and can clinch the division with either a win or a Texas loss against the Twins. Both games will start shortly after 2 p.m. CT.
The Astros will start Peter Lambert, who will be on two days' rest after throwing 62 pitches across 2 ⅔ innings in the series opener against the A's at Sutter Health Park. The short rest will likely create a short leash for Lambert.
"We're going to need someone to start the game and give us a couple innings trying to get to the back end" of the bullpen, manager Joe Espada said, before the Astros announced Lambert will start.
That the Astros figure to rely heavily on their bullpen Sunday underscored the magnitude of Wesneski's outing Saturday night.
Prior to Friday, when Hunter Brown threw 5 ⅓ innings, Houston's starter had not completed the third inning in its previous three games. Astros relievers combined to work 20 innings in that stretch.
Entering Saturday, AJ Blubaugh, Bennett Sousa and Logan VanWey had all pitched three of the past four days. Miguel Ullola was one day removed from throwing 35 pitches. Bryan Abreu had pitched back-to-back days Wednesday and Thursday. Closer Josh Hader had not pitched since throwing 44 pitches, his most in a regular-season game since 2019, on Wednesday in Seattle.
Due to Wesneski holding the A's to two runs over seven innings Saturday, and their offense erupting for 16 hits and five home runs behind him, the Astros were able to use Ronel Blanco to work the final two innings of a critical victory and preserve the rest of their bullpen arms for Sunday. Hader and Abreu will both be on multiple days' rest, perhaps expanding their usage potential in a must-win game.
"Amazing job," shortstop Jeremy Peña said of Wesneski. "He went above and beyond today. He saved our bullpen. Everyone's fresh for tomorrow."
ASTROS 13, ATHLETICS 2
HoustonABRHBIBBSOAvg.Totals41131613413Peña ss644401.276Alvarez dh522302.316Paredes 3b523101.263Allen 3b000000.278Altuve 2b412210.250Diaz c502001.283Walker 1b401101.224Spence cf512203.208Smith rf320022.208Trammell lf200002.194a-Velázquez ph100000.188Barrosa lf110010.194AthleticsABRHBIBBSOAvg.Totals3226228Bolte cf-rf302011.280Butler rf310000.235b-Kuroda-Grauer ph-2b100000.373Langeliers dh400002.261McNeil 2b200010.266c-Clarke ph-cf100000.149Gelof 3b412101.259Walton ss400001.263Cortes lf400001.252White 1b302101.257Heim c300001.204Houston102030331_13161Athletics000100100_260a-lined out for Trammell in the 6th. b-flied out for Butler in the 8th. c-grounded out for McNeil in the 8th.
E_Peña (13). LOB_Houston 6, Athletics 5. 2B_Walker (26), Spence (2), Alvarez (34). HR_Paredes (25), off Perkins; Peña (21), off Perkins; Alvarez (42), off Perkins; Peña (22), off Tur; Spence (4), off Tur. RBIs_Paredes (94), Peña 4 (55), Alvarez 3 (105), Altuve 2 (49), Walker (86), Spence 2 (10), Gelof (55), White (10). SB_Smith (12). CS_Altuve (4). SF_Walker.
Runners left in scoring position_Houston 5 (Walker, Smith 2, Velázquez 2); Athletics 1 (Walton). RISP_Houston 6 for 12; Athletics 1 for 3.
LIDP_Walton. GIDP_Heim.
DP_Houston 2 (Walker; Paredes, Altuve, Walker).
HoustonIPHRERBBSONPERAWesneski, W, 6-2762115823.25Blanco200013306.68AthleticsIPHRERBBSONPERAPerkins, L, 3-13556639946.10Blewett2-320002172.75Rom153300255.94Tur21-3444124616.34Inherited runners-scored_Rom 2-0, Tur 2-0. WP_Tur.
ABS Challenge_Perkins (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Trammell (Strike-Confirmed); Blewett (Ball-Overturned to Strike); Spence (Strike-Overturned to Ball); Blanco (Ball-Overturned to Strike).
Umpires_Home, Gabe Morales; First, Ryan Additon; Second, Will Little; Third, Ryan Wills.
T_2:48. A_12,025 (14,014).
Wesneski had a string of less efficient outings in late August. Yet Saturday marked the fifth time he has completed at least six innings in 11 starts since returning from elbow surgery. He has completed seven innings in three of those starts.
"That (depth) wasn't the goal, the goal was to give us a good quality start just like always and to win the game," Wesneski said. "You don't put too much pressure on yourself to have to go nine today, that's too much. We need to get through the first and then give our team a chance to win the game."
The A's lineup is missing some of its best hitters to injury, yet it scored four runs against Lambert in his 2 ⅔ innings Thursday and made Brown throw 100 pitches in his 5 ⅓ innings Friday. Wesneski had a larger lead to work with in his later innings, but he was economical before Houston built it.
Wesneski recorded his first nine outs on 20 pitches. He worked his second and third innings on just five pitches each, inducing double plays to end them. The fast start not only set a tone for his night but got Houston's offense back to the plate at the A's hitter-friendly minor-league ballpark.
"Strikes," Espada said. "He threw a ton of strikes. And every time he got some guys on base, he got the ground ball."
Houston Astros starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski (39) delivers during the first inning of an MLB baseball game at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle)Houston's inability to turn a double play in the fourth - with Peña bobbling a ground ball and making a wide throw to first base on another - contributed a 21-pitch inning for Wesneski. One run scored, but Wesneski induced a ground out from Donovan Walton to strand runners at first and third.
The A's did not put another runner in scoring position until the seventh inning. By that point, the Astros had built an eight-run lead. Wesneski threw 71% strikes and first-pitch strikes to 21 of 27 batters faced. He issued just one walk and struck out five. He generated 10 outs via ground ball.
"Huge by him," slugger Yordan Alvarez said, through an interpreter. "It's an incredible thing that he did there. And to be able to give the bullpen a day off, it's very important for the game tomorrow."
Wesneski, who made his season debut July 29, posted a 3.25 ERA over his 61 innings. The Astros went 8-3 in games he started, illustrating his importance if they do reach the postseason.
After a trade deadline at which the Astros did not acquire pitching, former general manager Dana Brown expressed optimism that Wesneski and Blanco could help fortify the starting rotation down the stretch in lieu of outside additions. Blanco struggled enough to lose his starting job. Wesneski, who acknowledged uncertainty about how he would fare in his return from surgery, did provide critical reinforcement.
Ironically, the pair combined to cover all nine innings in game 161, positioning the Astros as well as they could for Sunday. Aside from Wesneski, "everyone" on the pitching staff will be available, Espada said.
"That's exactly what we needed - able to reset our bullpen and go into the last game of the season in really good shape," Espada said. "But it started with Wesneski. Set the tone early, ton of strikes, really, really good. That's exactly what we needed. And we find ourselves in a really good spot for tomorrow."
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