Major League Baseball

MLB Who's Hot, Who's Not: Altuve a little gleam of hope for Astros

Published Sep. 5, 2014 3:00 a.m. ET

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Some have slumped, while others have simmered. Here's our weekly review of who's running hot and cold around Major League Baseball.

Stats through Sept. 4

HOT PITCHERS

AL -- Carlos Carrasco, Cleveland Indians

Carrasco went 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in five starts from Aug. 10-Sept. 2. The right-hander allowed three runs, 21 hits and struck out 34 in 30 innings in the span. A former reliever, he finished August with a 1.82 ERA in six appearances, and he boasts an impressive 2.94 ERA with 96 strikeouts for the season. He has pitched 95 innings this year, a large improvement from the 46 2/3 he threw in 2013.

NL -- Jarred Cosart, Miami Marlins

Cosart went 3-0 with a 0.65 ERA in four starts from Aug. 12-30. The right-hander allowed two runs, 23 hits and struck out 14 in 27 2/3 innings in the span. He went at least six innings in each appearance, and he lasted at least seven innings three times. He finished August with a 3-1 record and a strong 1.64 ERA in five starts. Overall, he's 12-8 with a 3.80 ERA and 92 strikeouts this season.

HOT HITTERS

AL -- Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Altuve hit .545 (12 for 22) with one home run and three RBI in five games from Aug. 29-Sept. 3. He had three multi-hit contests in the span, including two games with four hits each against the Texas Rangers on Aug. 31 and Los Angeles Angels on Sept. 2. He knocked at least one hit in 11 consecutive games from Aug. 23-Sept. 3. He has hit .340 with seven home runs and 47 RBI this season.

NL -- Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants

Posey hit .591 (13 for 22) with one home run and 10 RBI in five games from Aug. 29-Sept. 3. He had four multi-hit contests in the span, including an impressive 5-for-5 showing with three RBI in a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 29. He went hitless in just three games from Aug. 12-Sept. 3. He has hit .305 with 19 home runs and 78 RBI this season.

HOT TEAMS

AL -- Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles went 6-1 from Aug. 29-Sept. 4. The run included a comfortable stay at home, with wins in three of four games against the Minnesota Twins and a three-game sweep of the Cincinnati Reds, all at Camden Yards. Extending their success further, the Orioles went 9-2 in games from Aug. 25-Sept. 4. Overall, they're 82-57 and own a 9 1/2-game lead over the New York Yankees for the American League East lead.

NL -- St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals went 6-2 from Aug. 29-Sept. 4, a span that included six consecutive victories from the second game of a doubleheader on Aug. 30 to Sept. 4. They swept a key three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates from Sept. 1-3. The Cardinals' streak follows a recent slide that featured a 2-6 record from Aug. 22-30. At 77-63, they lead the National League Central by four games over the Milwaukee Brewers

(Clockwise from top left) Tampa Bay's Chris Archer, San Francisco's Ryan Vogelsong, Cincinnati's Brandon Phillips and Oakland's Alberto Callaspo are this week's struggling pitchers and hitters.

COLD PITCHERS

AL -- Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays

Archer went 0-2 with an 11.70 ERA in starts against the Boston Red Sox on Aug. 29 and Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 3. The right-hander struggled to gain comfort in the span, allowing 14 runs (13 earned), 20 hits and three walks in 10 innings. The slide marks the first time he has lost consecutive starts all season. Overall, he's 8-8 with a 3.60 ERA and 152 strikeouts this year.

NL -- Ryan Vogelsong, San Francisco Giants

Vogelsong went 1-1 with a 7.50 ERA in starts against the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 29 and Colorado Rockies on Sept. 3. The right-hander surrendered 10 runs, 14 hits and walked three in 12 innings in the span. He allowed a season-worst eight runs in the loss to the Rockies, an outing that lasted just five innings. Overall, he's 8-10 with a 4.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts this season.

COLD HITTERS

AL -- Alberto Callaspo, Oakland Athletics

Callaspo went hitless in 13 at-bats in four games from Aug. 29-Sept. 3. The skid is part of a larger slide that includes just one hit in eight games from Aug. 25-Sept. 3. He hasn't had consecutive games with hits since a three-game streak from Aug. 22-24. He has hit .227 with four home runs and 39 RBI.

NL -- Brandon Phillips, Cincinnati Reds

Phillips went hitless in 19 at-bats in five games from Aug. 29-Sept. 4. The slump marks the longest of his season, and he closed August with an anemic .160 batting average with eight strikeouts in 50 at-bats. He batted .265 before his current skid, but now he's hitting .253 with seven home runs and 44 RBI this season.

COLD TEAMS

AL -- Texas Rangers

The Rangers went 1-6 from Aug. 29-Sept. 4. The slump included two losses in three games to the Houston Astros, three consecutive losses to the Kansas City Royals and a loss to the Seattle Mariners. The Rangers have failed to win consecutive games since claiming two straight against the Royals and Mariners from Aug. 24-25. At 53-87, they're in last place in the American League West with a 31 1/2-game deficit to the Los Angeles Angels, the largest hole of any team in the majors.

NL -- Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers went 0-7 from Aug. 29-Sept. 4. The slide is part of a larger slump that included nine consecutive losses from Aug. 26-Sept. 4. They have fallen out of first place in the National League Central in the process, and at 73-67, they are four games behind the St. Louis Cardinals in the division. The Brewers have won just two games since claiming five straight from Aug. 14-19.

TWEET OF THE WEEK

Little League, big time. Mo'ne Davis' star continues to rise since she burst onto the scene as one of two girls to play to the most recent Little League World Series. There was the Sports Illustrated cover featuring her image. There was the national fame that followed her play in South Williamsport, Pa. So why not invite the promising Philadelphia-area 13-year-old to throw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium? The young right-hander aced the test Tuesday, tossing a strike. Did you expect anything less?

You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.

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