Ezequiel

Astacio

Because Roy Oswalt is dealing with a dead arm and Andy Pettitte’s elbow still isn’t 100 percent, giving everyone an extra day makes more sense. Since Astacio won’t be skipped, he’ll get to face the Nationals and the Pirates next week. NL-only leaguers will want to pick him up for the short-term.

The longball got Astacio. He pitched well while giving up just one homer in his previous three starts, but he surrendered three tonight, putting him up to 16 in 46 2/3 IP as a major leaguer. Brandon Backe’s setback means Astacio will get at least one more start. Since it will come against the Pirates, NL-only leaguers should still view him as a short-term option.

Astacio struck out seven, but the home run ball is just destroying him. He’s given up 19 in 52 2/3 innings this season. Jose Castillo, Jason Bay and Ryan Doumit took him deep today. If you picked him up for the week (sorry about that), drop him now.

The Astros didn’t get to Doug Davis until the seventh, so Astacio wasn’t involved in the decision. Astacio, who has surrendered 19 home runs in 58 innings, kept the ball in the yard tonight. He has a 1.27 ERA in his four starts in which he hasn’t allowed a home run.

A pleasant surprise at the end of a very disappointing season. Astacio was never recalled by the Astros after being sent down in May, and he finished with a 4.86 ERA in 17 starts and four relief appearances for Round Rock. His ERA as a starter was 5.17. The series against Tucson begins Tuesday.

Astacio will be considered for positions in the Houston rotation and pen, but he’s probably going to spend half the season in Triple-A. Harville and Wheeler are likely to have bullpen spots.

The Astros couldn’t have been expecting to win an Astacio-Carlos Zambrano matchup, but they prevailed 8-3 in Wrigley Field. Astacio threw just 81 pitches aganist the overly aggressive Cubs lineup and could have been good for another inning if not for a rain delay in the top of the seventh. Clemens is expected to make his final scheduled start, so Astacio will return to the pen.

The Astros decided they needed an 11th pitcher to take on the Cardinals. Scott went 0-for-2 with a walk against the Braves. He just missed what would have been a series-ending homer in the 10th inning of Game 4, pulling the drive a few inches foul.

It shouldn’t be too much longer before Astacio gets another opportunity, either as a starter or as a reliever. He has a 2.95 ERA in Triple-A.