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Houston Astros: Can Dallas Keuchel reach 20 wins in 2015?
By Eric Huysman
Will Keuchel win 20?
Aug 31, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (60) pitches against the Seattle Mariners in the top of the first inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports
If I had to make a prediction, I would say that he will dominate against the Twins and Angels (2-0, 2.84 ERA) at home and to get to 18 wins for the season. Along the same thinking, Keuchel should get the win versus the Angels on the road as well, so he would have 19 wins.
The game versus the Rangers will be a pick-em game because while Kuechel has pitched well against them (1-0, 1.23 ERA), the Astros have struggled at Arlington recently. If Keuchel can slap them across the face and show the Rangers that they are not the Astros’ daddy, this is a winnable game.
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The two teams that have semi-dominated Keuchel this year is the Mariners (1-1, 4.15 ERA) and the Blue Jays (1-0, 6.00 ERA). While he has gotten a win versus both teams, his ERA is higher against them. Plus, the Mariners with the help of Logan Morrison just came in a dominated the Astros winning two of three games at Minute Maid Park. I can see this game as a loss.
Doing the math, I see Keuchel winning 19 games, but could reach 20 wins just because he wills it so. He has a way of pitching well in big game situations, so he might step his game up versus the Rangers and Mariners. He could have to pitch on short rest in the last game of the season if the Astros are in a tie with the Rangers or for the wild card. The Astros better not put themselves in that predicament because they want Keuchel on the mound game one.
It will be a big step for Keuchel and the Astros organization to have a 20-game winner, which hasn’t happened since the Roy Oswalt early days. I am rooting for him and want to try to get out there during a Keuchel’s Korner game, maybe against the Angels.
The Texans have some small competition for viewership for Sunday’s games for the rest of the season. It’s good to have potential playoff baseball back in Houston, we only had to wait a decade for Crush City.