August 27, 2025 • 9 mins
Astros starting pitcher AJ Blubaugh joins Wex and AC to discuss his roller coaster season between the Majors and Minors, his knuckleball and playing catch with Hello Kitty at Daikin Park!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Back here with you on the eight team on a Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Adam Wesler and Adam Clinton here with you as we
get set to talk a little bit more Astros baseball
off of last night's game and the continuation of the
ten game home stand. Please to be joined by Astros
pitcher aj blue Ball here on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Back with the Astros.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
And you know, Aj, I could say this has kind
of been an up and down season, and I wouldn't
necessarily be referring to your performance, but has it felt
a little bit like a roller coaster at up and
down season? And that you've been in sugar Land, You've
been with Houston. You've been in sugar Land, You've been
in Houston, and you're back with the Astros.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Now, Yeah, definitely. I mean I'm kind of just trying
to look at it as every time I get the ball,
I take advantage of the opportunity to compete, and no
matter where that is, I'm gonna approach it the same way.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Were you a little bit more locked in on that
maybe this last time out, knowing that the odds were
pretty good, they would need you and they would need
you for length, and then you want out out there
and did that when you were in Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yeah, I mean we talked about it before the game.
You know, I understand the job they need me to do,
and if that's what I need to do to help
the team win, then that's what I'm going to do.
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I didn't know i'd have this on the table for
me to ask you this until early last night before
the game began. But you said, every time you take
the ball, you get the ball, you want to compete.
The last time you got the ball in an Astros
uniform was, in fact, yesterday, with the ceremonial first pitch
thrown to you by Hello Kitty. In any way you'd
like describe that opportunity yesterday.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Well, I mean I was honored. I mean, she she's
more famous than I would ever be. So the fact
that I was able to do that and ended up
shaking her hand after, you know, was.
Speaker 5 (01:48):
I was in shock.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Honestly, those jerseys that I'm sure you saw around you
in the stadium were like, these are high value items.
These were highly sought after items. Did you have anybody
hit you up for one? Like I did?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
No, But I know my girlfriend wants a Hello Kitty purse,
So I might have to talk to people see if
I can get one for I think you.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Could probably handle that. You know, you talk about getting
the job done. You talk about just trying to do
your part, your job, and that's so much a part
of what baseball is because it is such a team game,
and especially for a pitcher, because there's so many things
that are out of your control, even though you do
seemingly control what's going on in any half innings. Has
(02:30):
there been any pressure in your mind because of who
you're doing it for or who you're trying to do
that job for, and the recent success of this particular
organization that you're a part of.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
I wouldn't say pressure.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Is the right word because and the way I look
at it is, right now, I'm trying to be a
vessel for the Lord, and I'm letting him work through
me on the mound. So you know, whether I do
good or do bad, and He's still gonna love me.
And as long as I get his message across, I
think that's the.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Win in the big, big scheme of things.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now, I think the the more that I trust and
believe in him, the I like to say, the reciprocates
on the field. So I think if I check one box,
the other box get checked. If that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
No, absolutely, and I think that would certainly be a
very effective way of taking any sort of pressure that
would be on you in any sort of situation. This
has been I feel like we have interviewed so many
of guys that are, like you, just young guy. You're
twenty five years old, if I'm not mistaken, just so
much youth that has had that has contributed and had
(03:38):
to contribute because of the injury situation to what is
still a first place team in the AL West. Do
you ever look around and think, how are we doing this?
Or are you guys just so focused on it that
you kind of block out any sort of noise or
any sort of you know, internal I guess comprehension of
what you guys have been able to do with all
of these injuries.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, I mean, I think it was pretty evident the
first time it came up that this is a pretty tight,
tight knit group.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
Of men here. You know, they're they're very accepting.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They feel like they don't look at me as a rookie,
and I don't think they looked as anyone else as
a rookie. They look at more as like you can
help us win. I mean, you know, Carlos and Jose
they both came up to me. I look up to
those guys. I mean, those are some of the best
players in the game right now, and they walked up
to me and said, hey, what's up. First thing, you know,
And you know, just seeing that they look at me
as one of their teammates. They don't look at me
(04:30):
as look down on me at all. So like just
just seeing that, that's the confidence, you know, and the
coaching staff they have confidence in me, or else they
wouldn't be giving me this opportunity.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
So like all these people who.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Believe in me, as well as everyone back home and
everyone from college, you know, I feel like that all
adds up. And if I just go out there and
do what they know I'm capable of. What I know
I'm capable of, and what the Good Lord knows I'm
capable of, and I think the rest will take care
of itself.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
So talk with aj Bluebell here of the Astros.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
They guy the Rockies tonight over at Dyke and Park
right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. The year
you get drafted twenty twenty two, you become an Astro,
you sign a professional career, you begin your baseball career.
It's the same year the Astros won their most recent
World Series as you entered the organization, and they claimed
the championship. In the years maybe that have passed since,
do you think about how you've been a part of
(05:21):
a team that won immediately upon your arrival at the
big league level and they're still there as you're trying
to help them do it again.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Yeah, I mean, it's so cool. I mean I remember
being I think I was visiting my brother in college
when they won the World Series, and it was just
a super cool feeling knowing that, like, I'm with this team.
I'm with the team that has been successful for so
many years now. I mean, I don't know how many
(05:51):
Pyal championships we want to row, but I don't think
we've lost since twenty seventeen or something along those lines.
And so just to be a part of such a
winning organization and obviously they know what they're doing, they're
they're doing something right. And and as someone who came
out of college kind of i'd say not maxed out,
(06:13):
like I feel like I still have so much.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
To learn the mental side of things.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The physical side of things, Like I feel like i've
I've barely stepped into baseball, but I've also feel like
I've I've been in baseball forever since I've been here,
So like, it's it's pretty exciting not knowing how much
farther this can take the end, and I'm glad to
be a part of this organization to take me there.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Well, if I have this correct AJ from back in
high school, you've been a cult You've been a panther,
You've been a woodpecker, a tourist, a hook a space cowboy.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Now you're an astro.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
What has the pitching arsenal been like from the high
school days to where you are today? What do you
like about what you've been able to cultivate in your
arsenal of pitching?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Uh? Well, I mean I really didn't pitch a lot
growing up. Growing up, I was a a knuckleball thrower.
I didn't throw hard. And then once I got to
think sophomore junior year of high school, I started experimenting
with multiple different arm slots. So I would throw from
an up top arm slot, a sidearm arm slot, and
(07:14):
a submarine arm slot, and then I would throw four
different pitches from each of those arm slots, so it's
pretty much a junk ball thrower. And then one bullpen
junior year, Milwaukee came and watched me, and I threw
the hardest I ever thrown. I think it was like
eighty nine, and you know, along with different arm slots,
(07:35):
and I think they took me on as a project pitcher.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
Coach Bigler was there, and then once I got there,
we know, the.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Fall of college, freshman year of college, we experimented with
the arm slots, and then I think it was the
winter of twenty nineteen, I had a meeting with them
and they were like, hey, we think you could be
pretty good if we if you just focus on the
up top arm slot, you know, put on the weight stronger.
And then next a year later, I hit ninety five
(08:05):
for the first time, and that's when I really stepped
into like, you.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Know, a hard thrower reliever a role.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
And then obviously once I got to the Astros, they
they decided to make me a starter and you know,
linked me out a little bit and refine my offspeed
pitches and that pretty much takes the suit today.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Have you had a chance to sit down and have
any conversations with Astro's radio color analyst and fellow knuckleballer
Steve Sparks.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
By any chance, I have a little bit.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I don't know if he knows I threw an uncle.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
But.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I would love to talk to him about it. I
don't know if it'll ever come out again, but if
it does, I want to say I'll be ready, but
I'm not too sure.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Well, he's one of the most entertaining individuals we've known,
so I think either way you'll have a good conversation.
You probably already know that. Well, AJ, We appreciate the time,
and thanks for joining us, and good luck the rest
of this season helping this Astros team hopefully win yet
another division championship and a nice long playoff run.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
All righty, thank you very much, the ad
Speaker 4 (09:13):
On Sports Talk seven ninety
Back here with you on the eight team on a Wednesday.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Adam Wesler and Adam Clinton here with you as we
get set to talk a little bit more Astros baseball
off of last night's game and the continuation of the
ten game home stand. Please to be joined by Astros
pitcher aj blue Ball here on the show.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Back with the Astros.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
And you know, Aj, I could say this has kind
of been an up and down season, and I wouldn't
necessarily be referring to your performance, but has it felt
a little bit like a roller coaster at up and
down season? And that you've been in sugar Land, You've
been with Houston. You've been in sugar Land, You've been
in Houston, and you're back with the Astros.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Now, Yeah, definitely. I mean I'm kind of just trying
to look at it as every time I get the ball,
I take advantage of the opportunity to compete, and no
matter where that is, I'm gonna approach it the same way.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Were you a little bit more locked in on that
maybe this last time out, knowing that the odds were
pretty good, they would need you and they would need
you for length, and then you want out out there
and did that when you were in Baltimore.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
Yeah, I mean we talked about it before the game.
You know, I understand the job they need me to do,
and if that's what I need to do to help
the team win, then that's what I'm going to do.
Speaker 5 (01:13):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
I didn't know i'd have this on the table for
me to ask you this until early last night before
the game began. But you said, every time you take
the ball, you get the ball, you want to compete.
The last time you got the ball in an Astros
uniform was, in fact, yesterday, with the ceremonial first pitch
thrown to you by Hello Kitty. In any way you'd
like describe that opportunity yesterday.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Well, I mean I was honored. I mean, she she's
more famous than I would ever be. So the fact
that I was able to do that and ended up
shaking her hand after, you know, was.
Speaker 5 (01:48):
I was in shock.
Speaker 4 (01:49):
Honestly, those jerseys that I'm sure you saw around you
in the stadium were like, these are high value items.
These were highly sought after items. Did you have anybody
hit you up for one? Like I did?
Speaker 3 (02:02):
No, But I know my girlfriend wants a Hello Kitty purse,
So I might have to talk to people see if
I can get one for I think you.
Speaker 4 (02:10):
Could probably handle that. You know, you talk about getting
the job done. You talk about just trying to do
your part, your job, and that's so much a part
of what baseball is because it is such a team game,
and especially for a pitcher, because there's so many things
that are out of your control, even though you do
seemingly control what's going on in any half innings. Has
(02:30):
there been any pressure in your mind because of who
you're doing it for or who you're trying to do
that job for, and the recent success of this particular
organization that you're a part of.
Speaker 5 (02:42):
I wouldn't say pressure.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Is the right word because and the way I look
at it is, right now, I'm trying to be a
vessel for the Lord, and I'm letting him work through
me on the mound. So you know, whether I do
good or do bad, and He's still gonna love me.
And as long as I get his message across, I
think that's the.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
Win in the big, big scheme of things.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Now, I think the the more that I trust and
believe in him, the I like to say, the reciprocates
on the field. So I think if I check one box,
the other box get checked. If that makes sense.
Speaker 4 (03:16):
No, absolutely, and I think that would certainly be a
very effective way of taking any sort of pressure that
would be on you in any sort of situation. This
has been I feel like we have interviewed so many
of guys that are, like you, just young guy. You're
twenty five years old, if I'm not mistaken, just so
much youth that has had that has contributed and had
(03:38):
to contribute because of the injury situation to what is
still a first place team in the AL West. Do
you ever look around and think, how are we doing this?
Or are you guys just so focused on it that
you kind of block out any sort of noise or
any sort of you know, internal I guess comprehension of
what you guys have been able to do with all
of these injuries.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
Yeah, I mean, I think it was pretty evident the
first time it came up that this is a pretty tight,
tight knit group.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
Of men here. You know, they're they're very accepting.
Speaker 3 (04:08):
They feel like they don't look at me as a rookie,
and I don't think they looked as anyone else as
a rookie. They look at more as like you can
help us win. I mean, you know, Carlos and Jose
they both came up to me. I look up to
those guys. I mean, those are some of the best
players in the game right now, and they walked up
to me and said, hey, what's up. First thing, you know,
And you know, just seeing that they look at me
as one of their teammates. They don't look at me
(04:30):
as look down on me at all. So like just
just seeing that, that's the confidence, you know, and the
coaching staff they have confidence in me, or else they
wouldn't be giving me this opportunity.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
So like all these people who.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Believe in me, as well as everyone back home and
everyone from college, you know, I feel like that all
adds up. And if I just go out there and
do what they know I'm capable of. What I know
I'm capable of, and what the Good Lord knows I'm
capable of, and I think the rest will take care
of itself.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
So talk with aj Bluebell here of the Astros.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
They guy the Rockies tonight over at Dyke and Park
right here on Sports Talk seven to ninety. The year
you get drafted twenty twenty two, you become an Astro,
you sign a professional career, you begin your baseball career.
It's the same year the Astros won their most recent
World Series as you entered the organization, and they claimed
the championship. In the years maybe that have passed since,
do you think about how you've been a part of
(05:21):
a team that won immediately upon your arrival at the
big league level and they're still there as you're trying
to help them do it again.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Yeah, I mean, it's so cool. I mean I remember
being I think I was visiting my brother in college
when they won the World Series, and it was just
a super cool feeling knowing that, like, I'm with this team.
I'm with the team that has been successful for so
many years now. I mean, I don't know how many
(05:51):
Pyal championships we want to row, but I don't think
we've lost since twenty seventeen or something along those lines.
And so just to be a part of such a
winning organization and obviously they know what they're doing, they're
they're doing something right. And and as someone who came
out of college kind of i'd say not maxed out,
(06:13):
like I feel like I still have so much.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
To learn the mental side of things.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
The physical side of things, Like I feel like i've
I've barely stepped into baseball, but I've also feel like
I've I've been in baseball forever since I've been here,
So like, it's it's pretty exciting not knowing how much
farther this can take the end, and I'm glad to
be a part of this organization to take me there.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Well, if I have this correct AJ from back in
high school, you've been a cult You've been a panther,
You've been a woodpecker, a tourist, a hook a space cowboy.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Now you're an astro.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
What has the pitching arsenal been like from the high
school days to where you are today? What do you
like about what you've been able to cultivate in your
arsenal of pitching?
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Uh? Well, I mean I really didn't pitch a lot
growing up. Growing up, I was a a knuckleball thrower.
I didn't throw hard. And then once I got to
think sophomore junior year of high school, I started experimenting
with multiple different arm slots. So I would throw from
an up top arm slot, a sidearm arm slot, and
(07:14):
a submarine arm slot, and then I would throw four
different pitches from each of those arm slots, so it's
pretty much a junk ball thrower. And then one bullpen
junior year, Milwaukee came and watched me, and I threw
the hardest I ever thrown. I think it was like
eighty nine, and you know, along with different arm slots,
(07:35):
and I think they took me on as a project pitcher.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
Coach Bigler was there, and then once I got there,
we know, the.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Fall of college, freshman year of college, we experimented with
the arm slots, and then I think it was the
winter of twenty nineteen, I had a meeting with them
and they were like, hey, we think you could be
pretty good if we if you just focus on the
up top arm slot, you know, put on the weight stronger.
And then next a year later, I hit ninety five
(08:05):
for the first time, and that's when I really stepped
into like, you.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
Know, a hard thrower reliever a role.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
And then obviously once I got to the Astros, they
they decided to make me a starter and you know,
linked me out a little bit and refine my offspeed
pitches and that pretty much takes the suit today.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Have you had a chance to sit down and have
any conversations with Astro's radio color analyst and fellow knuckleballer
Steve Sparks.
Speaker 5 (08:36):
By any chance, I have a little bit.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I don't know if he knows I threw an uncle.
Speaker 2 (08:40):
But.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I would love to talk to him about it. I
don't know if it'll ever come out again, but if
it does, I want to say I'll be ready, but
I'm not too sure.
Speaker 4 (08:50):
Well, he's one of the most entertaining individuals we've known,
so I think either way you'll have a good conversation.
You probably already know that. Well, AJ, We appreciate the time,
and thanks for joining us, and good luck the rest
of this season helping this Astros team hopefully win yet
another division championship and a nice long playoff run.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
All righty, thank you very much, the ad
Speaker 4 (09:13):
On Sports Talk seven ninety
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