Hello, Astros fans. When we last corresponded, Houston had yet to spend a day alone in first place this season. What a difference two weeks makes. The Astros awoke Thursday with a four-game lead in an underwhelming American League West.

Amid a rapidly growing injured list, the Astros announced a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays that prompted mixed reactions. The Astros traded former top pitching prospect Forrest Whitley to the Rays on Friday in exchange for cash considerations, per Chandler Rome of the Athletic.

The return of Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is imminent, but on Friday he talked about what made this injury different. Yordan Alvarez is tantalizingly close to returning to the Houston Astros batting order.