J.P. France | Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images It’s the Wednesday Boil. Welcome to the first day of the rest of the season. Every day that goes by brings us one day closer to the Astros playing decently once again. Now whether that’s this week, this month, or even this season remains to be seen. Remaining optimistic is my forte, so I’ll say the hard times are finally over and Houston begins to play the way we have come to expect over the past decade. My pessimistic side, however small, keeps nagging in the corner of my brain that the salad days are completely gone. The middle point, by design, is really where Houston’s future lies. Hopefully, 10 games under .500 is the lowest we’ll go. Houston Astros Astros can’t break out of funk in rare trip to Wrigley Astros 2024: Off-day gripes (Chipalatta — I’m linking this a day late, but this should be read anyway) As early losses mount, Astros still ‘trying to click as a team’ (Houston Chronicle) Houston Astros on the Brink: Searching for an Inflection Point (G3 Football) Astros’ spiral continues — when will inflection point for change arrive? (The Athletic) Houston Astros: Joe Espada meets with players individually (Houston Chronicle) AL West News A’s: Sac State Says: Students are excited for the Oakland A’s move to Sacramento (YT) M’s: J-Rod hits Texas-sized first HR of ‘24 as Mariners blank Rangers Blarts: Johnny Cueto signs minor league deal with Texas. He was an All-Star for Rangers manager Bruce Bochy (The Washington Post) Halos: Trout plays tone-setter with leadoff homer in Halos win: ‘It was awesome’ MLB News Ohtani destroys 118.7 mph homer for hardest of his career Fried tosses 3rd career ‘Maddux’ ... just as his team predicted Change in ‘mojo’: How high socks helped snap the Royals’ skid Flamethrower rears back ... and lights go out. Catcher not fazed Furry new member of Nats booth provides collar commentary Once rivals, still friends: Verlander, Orenduff recount epic duel 20 years later The Deconstructed Hitter (FG) The Dodgers Are Struggling Out of the Gate — Again (FG) Could fans booing Judge cause Soto to leave the Yankees (YB) Tarik Skubal is unbeatable if the Tigers give him run support (YB — let me point out that everyone is unbeatable with “enough” run support) Houston Astros Birthdays CF Carlos Beltran (47) RHP Todd Jones (56 OF/1B Iván Murrell (1943-2006)

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK Your one-stop shop for Houston Texans, local sports, and news from around the league for Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Houston Texans News Houston Texans unveil first uniform redesign since franchise’s inception in 2000 (NFL.com) Houston Texans unveil new uniforms ahead of 2024 season (ESPN.com) Houston Texans uniform reveal: SkyEye video shows Sam Houston Statue in Huntsville, Texas sporting the team’s new jerseys (ABC 13 Houston) Texans Wire mock draft: Houston bolsters defense with first 3 picks (Texans Wire) NFL draft: Scarcity of 1st-rounders sign of times at Texas A&M (Houston Chronicle) NFL News NFL: Tampering probes won’t conclude this week (ESPN.com) Jones preaches patience as Dak, Lamb deals await (ESPN.com) ‘Tune in’: Bears know who they’ll draft at No. 1 (ESPN.com) Goff clarifies critical comments on Detroit media (ESPN.com) Eagles’ Rodgers reinstated from gambling ban (ESPN.com) New Panthers WR Johnson: Here ‘to make plays’ (ESPN.com) Bengals reward QB Browning with 2-year deal (ESPN.com) WNBA star Plum, Giants’ Waller file for divorce (ESPN.com) What Schefter has heard about the draft (ESPN.com) Houston & Collegiate Sports Rockets 2023-2024 season in review: Boban Marjanovic (The Dream Shake)

Episode: 3001 Archimedes to the Rescue. Today, Archimedes to the rescue.

Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images Two first inning home runs by the Cubs all it took for Astros to lose opener in Chi-town It turns out J.P. France is what we thought he was. An emergency fill-in last year, his performance was a pleasant surprise, without which, the Astros would not have gotten to the playoffs. Who is surprised by his regression in a year when injuries to the Astros staff are even more devastating? Two home runs off France in the first inning resulting in five runs were all the Cubs needed. France righted the ship for the next four innings, but the Astros’ recently anemic offense managed only two runs, one on a solo Jake Meyers homer, the other on a Yainer Diaz double. The nightmare continues.