Before discussing the issues that have forced Ryan Gusto into the Astros rotation, first:

What about a “what about them Astros?”

For twelve long games we’ve been muttering, “it’s just a small sample. These guys gotta start hitting someday.”

Someday was yesterday. Yainer Diaz had three hits, two bombs, one a double and the other a grand slam. His batting average more than doubled from the .061 he brought into the game. It was so warm to see the support he got from his teammates after getting that monkey off his back.

Isaac Paredes hit his first homer. Chris Walker had his first two hit game.

And Cam Smith seems to have figured out big league pitching after 11 games. He was 2-4 with his first big league dinger and he’s five for his last eleven ABs.

If the Astros keep hitting better and end up with a successful season, yesterday’s game might be considered the turnaround, like last year’s game in Mexico, or the Memorial Day Massacre in Minnesota in 2017.

Back to Gusto. Talk about persistence. He was cut from his high school team. He was never considered a serious prospect. Yet here he is in his first MLB start, in for injured Spencer Arrighetti. And in his first eight MLB innings, he looks ready, allowing only one run. If he could be this year’s Ronel Blanco—what a bonus. And how nice it was to see Ronel Blanco yesterday looking like last year’s Ronel Blanco.

The Astros have failed to get back to .500 every time this year they got to within one game. Let’s do it today boys.