Astros players assist with Coronavirus relief efforts

Several Houston Astros players have stepped up to assist with Coronavirus relief efforts.

In this dark, dark time with quarantines, face masks and no baseball, several Houston Astros players have stepped up to provide assistance in the ongoing fight against the Coronavirus pandemic. The franchise itself, and owner Jim Crane, have also stepped up.

The Astros Foundation, with assistance from Crane Worldwide, is working to deliver PPE (personal protection equipment) and other medical supplies to hospitals within the Texas Medical Center. The foundation is also donating $400,000 to hospitals in the Medical Center as well.

The most recent player news comes from a couple of Astros pitchers. Justin Verlander and wife Kate Upton have pledged to donate his weekly paychecks received from MLB during the Coronavirus shutdown to different charities and organizations that are helping with the COVID-19 relief efforts. Verlander should be receiving a little more than $33,000 per week from MLB.

Reliever Joe Smith and his wife Allie LaForce are organizing to have hundreds of meals delivered to hospitals in Houston and their native Ohio area to support medical workers during the pandemic. The Lance McCullers Jr. Foundation will assist in the effort, which will also support struggling local restaurants.

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Speaking of McCullers, he made a donation to the Houston Food Bank that would cover 10,000 meals, as well as donating lunches to workers in the ICU, newborn and emergency care wings of Houston Methodist Hospital. Alex Bregman did the same, and his donation to the food bank would cover 28,000 meals.

Carlos Correa, through the Correa Family Foundation, donated $500,000 worth of medical supplies to the city of Houston. Jose Altuve and his wife Nina teamed with the Astros Foundation to donate 60,000 meals to Kids’ Meals, Inc., to support those in need.

Finally, George Springer previously pledged $100,000 to support Minute Maid Park staff who are unable to work during the Coronavirus shutdown. The Astros joined all other MLB teams in pledging $1 million to help its seasonal ballpark staff.

The franchise is also hosting a PPE drive on Wednesday, April 8, where the public can drop off PPE items at the left field entrance of Minute Maid Park from noon to 3 p.m. The needed supplies include masks, gowns, hand sanitizer and other equipment.

This is a difficult time for many people, but the Astros and their players are stepping up and helping out in the community. Hopefully with their help and the help of countless others, we can all get through this pandemic and get things back to normal.