As noted by Dusty Baker before Saturday’s game, the goal for Jake Odorizzi was for the veteran starter to pitch at least six to seven innings with the optimism of possibly more. For a team that hasn’t seen its own starter advance past the fifth inning with any regularity this season, a six to seven-inning start by Odorizzi would’ve been an optimal development.
Alas, Odorizzi wasn’t meant to last long in this one as a forearm strain sidelined the right-hander only one batter into the game. The recently reinstated Kent Emanuel, who just finished an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, was then tasked with coming in and hopefully keep the Astros in the game.