The Houston Astros made some moves ahead of the MLB trade deadline in the hopes of improving their chances for a serious playoff run. The addition of Carlos Correa has been the most talked about pickup for the club so far, but manager Joe Espada raved about a lesser-known acquisition, Jesus Sanchez.
Sanchez, who is 27 years old, played a key role in the Astros' 8-2 victory over his former team, the Miami Marlins. He recorded an RBI double in the fourth inning that helped Houston take a commanding lead in the middle of the contest. After the game, Espada opened up about Sanchez's mindset now that he's playing for Houston, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
“He's grateful to be here,” Astros manager Joe Espada said of Jesus Sanchez. “He's around winning players, and it changes how you prepare yourself. He's asking a ton of questions. He wants to know how we have done it here for so many years. You want to be a part of a winning culture, and we have been able to do that for a long time. He's excited about that.”
Sanchez himself admitted how excited he is to play for the Astros, who are in first place in the AL West. The veteran outfielder fills a need for the club as a left-handed hitter, and he seemingly feels at home in Houston.
“With this group, it's really easy to feel at home,” Sanchez said. “There's a lot of Hispanic players here, and we understand each other really well. It feels good to be here.”
Throughout his career, Jesus Sanchez has proven to be a reliable bat. He's recorded decent numbers during his time in Miami, and that trend should continue in Houston. So far this season, the new Astros outfielder is recording a .256 batting average and .320 OBP while totaling 82 hits, 10 home runs, and 37 RBIs.
