Astros still trying to figure out who fits at first

HOUSTON -- Who’s on first? That’s a question the Astros rarely had to answer in the previous seven seasons while Yuli Gurriel -- a former American League Gold Glove Award winner and batting champion -- was entrenched at the position and a key contributor on two World Series championship clubs in Houston.

The club’s decision to let Gurriel walk in free agency in favor of free agent José Abreu hasn’t exactly turned out the way the Astros had hoped. Abreu has struggled at the plate for much of the season, and last week he landed on the injured list with a back issue, which has only further clouded the first-base position.

Astros manager Dusty Baker started Yainer Diaz at first base in Friday’s 2-0 loss to the Mariners at Minute Maid Park and watched him go 2-for-4. He had the only two hits for Houston through eight innings before infield hits by Jose Altuve -- the 1,998th of his career -- and Yordan Alvarez in the ninth brought the winning run to the plate.

Diaz grounded into a game-ending double play as the Astros’ two-game winning streak ended. Houston remains 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Rangers in the American League West -- the same gap the Mariners have closed to behind the Astros in third place. Seattle is 6-2 against Houston this year, and it needs one win in the final five games between the clubs to clinch the tiebreaker.

“Not much you can say,” Baker said of the loss.

Diaz has emerged as one of Houston’s top offensive weapons, so finding a way to get his bat in the lineup on days he’s not catching is of growing importance. The rookie has hit safely in 11 of his past 15 games, batting .340 with four doubles and a 1.018 OPS in that span. He’s among the AL rookie leaders in slugging percentage, batting average, OPS and extra-base hits.

“I think my same plan as always, trying to be aggressive, try to pick a pitch, pick a spot and try to find a good pitch to swing at and be aggressive,” Diaz said when asked about his success Friday against Mariners starter Bryce Miller.

Jon Singleton started seven games in a row at first base after Abreu was scratched from the lineup Aug. 10 in Baltimore with a back injury. Diaz broke that streak by getting the start at first Friday -- his fourth start at first base this year and first since June 11. David Hensley, Mauricio Dubón, Grae Kessinger and Bligh Madris have also started games at first base this year.

Baker did say postgame that Singleton, who made it back to the Major Leagues this year after eight years, would start Saturday’s game with left-hander Framber Valdez -- a ground-ball pitcher -- on the mound.

“He’s more accomplished and has been over there a lot longer,” Baker said.

Diaz remains a work in progress at first base, but he has been working out at the position before games. He couldn’t snag a pair of errant pickoff throws from starting pitcher J.P. France and reliever Kendall Graveman, which resulted in throwing errors. He otherwise held his own defensively.

“I felt good out here,” Diaz said. “I know it was one of those things I don’t feel 100 percent comfortable there, but with a couple of more games I think I’ll get the hang of it.”

Since he blasted two homers in an 11-3 win over the Angels on Aug. 11, Singleton has slumped at the plate. He’s 1-for-20 in the past six games. That could prompt Baker to give Diaz more reps at first base when Martín Maldonado catches, but another option at first base could soon emerge.

Veteran outfielder Michael Brantley, who has been out all year while recovering from right shoulder surgery, is scheduled to play the third game of his Minor League rehab assignment Saturday with Triple-A Sugar Land. He spent extensive time working at first base in the spring and played some first base during a rehab assignment earlier this year.

Baker admitted Friday that Abreu won’t be ready to come back when his 10 days on the injured list expire this weekend, but Diaz remains the club's best option to get some offense at the position. Entering Friday, Astros first basemen had a .650 OPS, which was the worst in the AL.