Houston Astros Send Rookie Back to Triple-A After Record Setting Debut

If there is talk around the Houston Astros and record-setting performances this season it is likely to be of the not-so-good sort. With the worst record in baseball and a payroll that is less than what many players get paid the team is, well--not that good.

That doesn't mean that there are not some excellent ball players in the organization; just that it's harder to notice them. It wasn't Friday night when Houston rookie Jarred Cosart was on the mound.

Cosart had a tough assignment for his MLB debut, a red-hot Tampa Bay Rays offense and the defending AL Cy Young winner David Price. No pressure, right? The way he pitched it sure looked like he wasn't feeling any.

For much of Friday's game it looked like Cosart was going to go down in history. Through six innings he had a no-hitter going. Keep it going and he joins Bumpus Jones (no idea if that's his given name) as the only players to throw no-hitters in their Major League debut.

To give you a little more context as to how remarkable the feat would have been--Bumpus threw his in 1892. So yeah, it's been awhile.

Ben Zobrist had to mess it up with a single in the seventh inning. With 6 1/3 no-hit innings Cosart had the longest bid for a no-hitter since Bill Slayback did in his debut for the Tigers in 1972.

When his night was finally done Cosart went eight innings--a franchise record for innings pitched in a debut-- allowing two hits, three walks, no runs, and struck out two.

And he lost his job. 

Houston sent him back to the team's Triple-A affiliate. The move isn't such a bad thing though. The plan is for him to keep pitching and on regular rest in the minors and be called back up when the team needs a No. 5 starter again (possibly July 23).