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Astros look to keep Gonzalez's bat in lineup vs. Angels (May 06, 2017)
ANAHEIM, Calif. - There's an excellent chance that Marwin Gonzalez will be in the starting lineup Saturday when the Houston Astros play the Los Angeles Angels in the second game of their three-game series in Anaheim.
What position Gonzalez plays, however, is anyone's guess.
Gonzalez has been so hot at the plate lately, Astros manager A.J. Hinch must find a spot for him. But the good news for Hinch is that Gonzalez is so versatile.
Gonzalez is a switch hitter, so he matches up against the opposing starter, whether he's right-handed or left-handed. Gonzalez also can play both the infield and outfield. He's started 19 of Houston's 30 games this season at four different positions -- first base, second base, third base and left field. And he's played right field coming off the bench.
With Carlos Correa starting at shortstop for the Astros, Gonzalez doesn't figure to get much time there. But he has played more games at shortstop (202) than any other position over the course of his major league career. He's now in his sixth season, all with the Astros.
Gonzalez's streak of hitting a home run in five consecutive starts came to an end Friday against the Angels when he went 1 for 3 with a single and walk. Despite usually hitting in the bottom third of the lineup, he leads the club in homers (nine) and RBIs (21).
The home runs, however, don't figure to continue at such a pace. His career high is 13, set last year when he played in a career-high 141 games.
"I'm surprised," Gonzalez told mlb.com. "I'm not a power hitter."
Hinch, though, is happy to have the option to get him into the lineup, wherever it might be.
"He's incredibly hot," Hinch told mlb.com. "What great at-bats he's putting up. His ability to stay in the strike zone this year is incredible.
Gonzalez and the Astros will be facing the Angels reliever-turned-starter JC Ramirez. Gonzalez has faced Ramirez just four times, but has a double and two walks against him.
Ramirez, though, is improving with every start since taking the rotation spot of injured right-hander Garrett Richards. Ramirez was making his second start of the season when he faced the Astros on April 19, and he got the loss after giving up three runs in 5 1/3 innings.
But in his two starts since then, he's been a different pitcher. He threw seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits in a no-decision against Oakland and then got his first win as a starter when he gave up two runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings against Texas.
"He's getting comfortable with routine," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told mlb.com. "He's getting comfortable with not only how he preps for a game, but being in a game, making adjustments and feeling what his best stuff is at a certain time. That takes time. With JC, we don't have a lot of time. He has to work on the fly, and he's doing a good job."
For Ramirez, another big adjustment is knowing he will have to face hitters as many as three or even four times in a game.
"There is a big difference," Ramirez said of starting and relieving. "Starting games I got in trouble going through the lineup the second and third time. Now, I'm not saying it's easy, but I'm getting used to it. I'm getting comfortable doing it. Instead of pitching them the way I did the first time, I just go backwards, I just play with them."
Lance McCullers will start on the mound for the Astros Saturday, having beaten the Angels already earlier this season with 6 2/3 scoreless innings. He is 3-1 with a 1.79 ERA in seven career starts against Los Angeles.
