It’s the last weekend of July, and things are happening at a dizzying pace in Astro-land! And, the Houston Astros aren’t even playing at home! If your favorite team is half as busy, good on you, but here’s the Crush City round-up:

Dallas and the DL in the Rearview Mirror

Astros’ ace lefty, Dallas Keuchel, has missed almost two months with a pinched nerve in his neck, and just general neck discomfort. He made his rotation return, Friday, July 28, in Detroit, and while his numbers weren’t there, he pitched well enough without discomfort for him to have hope for the near future.

While he didn’t pick up the win in Houston’s eventual 6-5 win over the Tigers, Keuchel pitched 3 innings, and gave up 6 hits and 3 earned runs, while walking and striking out three apiece.

Keuchel’s return may actually have July 31 trade deadline implications, as his return, along with the recent return of Collin McHugh and Lance McCullers, Jr. marks the first time in the 2017 season that the top three of Houston’s rotation have functioned together. And, yet, the Astros have built an 18-game lead in the American League Western Division. “Who needs Sonny Gray?” might well be a question asked moving toward Monday afternoon’s 3 pm (CT) trade deadline.

Related: Astros and the Hunt for Orange October: The Trade Deadline Needs of a Runaway Team

Another Killer B in the Hall

Career-long Astro first baseman Jeff Bagwell joins a handful of others in finally earning Hall of Fame recognition, joining longtime teammate and friend, second baseman Craig Biggio, after his 2015 induction.

Related: Craig Biggio, 2015: First Astro in the Hall of Fame

Biggio joined in a Saturday morning golf tournament in Cooperstown as part of the festivities.

Growing up in Connecticut a Boston Red Sox fan, Carl Yastrzemski was Bagwell’s hero. Here, Yaz offers up his tip of the cap to Bagwell, and his thoughts on the Astro mainstay:

“I’m happy for Jeff Bagwell, who is being inducted into the Hall this weekend. He’s a kid I always enjoyed watching play the game–hard-nosed with a strong work ethic. He would have looked great in a Red Sox uniform, but hats off to Houston for getting a hell of a player, and a future Hall of Famer.”

One of the most feared righthanded hitters of his era, Bagwell is the Astros’ all-time leader in home runs (449), RBIs (1,529) and walks (1,401). He ranks second in hits (2,314), total bases (4,213) and games played (2,150) behind only Biggio, the other half of a duo many think is synonymous with the golden age of Astros baseball that featured four division titles, an era that also featured the franchise’s lone World Series appearance in 2005.

“I think this is a culmination of our era,” Bagwell, 49, said Saturday, prior to the customary Parade of Legends. “For Craig and I to be in the Hall of Fame together, I think that means a lot to the city. It means a lot to Craig and I as well.”

In Bagwell’s 23-minute speech, he thanked, among others, the clubhouse staff, his agent, Barry Axelrod, and former coaches Rudy Jaramillo and Matt Galante. He fondly recalled teammates who have since passed away — Andujar Cedeno, Ken Caminiti, Jose Lima, and Darryl Kile.

Related: Kile’s Kids Honor Legacy of Former Astros Pitcher

“There’s not one day that goes by I don’t think about Darryl Kile,” he said. “DK, you are sorely missed, and I know you’re down here somewhere.”

Related: Killer Bs Swarm Hall: Bagwell Joins Biggio in HOF

Must Reading for Astro Fans: The Houston Chronicle’s full account of Hall of Fame Weekend and Brian McTaggart’s coverage and recap of Baggy’s speech

Jose Altuve Like 1970s AM-Radio DJ: The Hits Just Keep on Comin’!

At the rate Altuve is collecting hits, he may be catching up to Ty Cobb by….next weekend.

He may be able to be stopped, but no opposing pitcher is exactly taking a number to stand in that line with anything that resembles timeliness (or eagerness). He went 3-for-4, Friday night, in Keuchel’s return to the rotation. Along with a double and triple, Altuve scored twice, and raised his OPS to 1.018.

In Saturday’s 5-3 loss to Detroit, Altuve drew the collar in 4 ABs, but went 2-for-4, Sunday (in the Tigers’ 13-1 drubbing), to bring his average back up to .367, as Houston lost its first road series since April.

Back in Houston, Monday, July’s last day, Altuve went 2-for-4, with 2 RBI, as Houston outscored Tampa Bay by a touchdown, 14-7.

Thus, Altuve’s 48 hits in July were the most by an Astros player in a calendar month since Lance Berkman had 49 hits in May, 2008.

And, Altuve’s 48 July hits are tied for second-most in franchise history with Biggio (48 in 1999), and trailing only Rusty Staub (49 in 1967). Anyone for an August encore?

To put it another way: Altuve has more games, this year, with 3 or more hits than games with no hits. I wonder how many other MVP candidates named Aaron Judge can say that?

Related: All Rise, Indeed! Altuve Propelling Astros with Jaw-Dropping Numbers

Appropriate we follow Baggy’s HOF induction while keeping up with Altuve’s hot July. Clear your calendar for somewhere around 2035, when it should be Jose’s turn to join Bidge and Baggy in the Hall. (And he’d better still be an Astro!)

Astros and the Long Past Trade Deadline

Despite the apparent rumor move from starter to reliever, what to make of these recent ugly stats? Lance McCullers’ first 14 starts in 2017: 2.53 ERA, .592 OPS against; his last five starts: 8.63 ERA, .909 OPS against.

And, the Astros rank 22nd in MLB in bullpen ERA (4.45), through Sunday’s game. They rank 5th in rotation ERA (3.97), but starters have logged only 19th-most innings. Somehow, these stats were pushed through the front office sieve of assessment that led to the following:

FOXSports’ Ken Rosenthal reporting, noon-ish, that Houston may pursue Toronto lefty starter Francisco Liriano, and use him out of the bullpen, which is exactly what happened. This is what a team may be driven to due to a completely ineffective Tony Sipp.

Related: Beyond Trade for Liriano, Astros’ Roster Buzzing with Activity

Houston sent OF Nori Aoki and AAA Fresno OF Teoscar Hernandez (ranked #9 on Houston’s prospect list) to Toronto.

Related: ‘Stro Wars: A New Hope: Teo Hernandez Avoids Oblivion

As Houston GM Jeff Luhnow has said recently, perched comfortably atop the AL West, with no real pressure or need to pull the trade trigger on, frankly, anyone, “We have a pretty good team, and if we can improve it without giving up too much of our future, we will.”