Astros pitcher Ryne Stanek and his wife Jessica say 'I do' at post-World Series wedding

Monday, November 14, 2022

Altuve fan waits 33 hours to meet idol: 'That's why I beat cancer'

Jose Altuve is a lightning rod of boos all over MLB, but he continues to enjoy a groundswell of support in the heart of Astros country. On Thursday, he added to his legend. See what he did for a cancer-survivor who preferred to wait hours in line to see her hero than to ring the bell as part of the end of her treatment.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- After their big World Series win earlier this month, the Houston Astros have managed to stay busy.

From packed meet-and-greets to foodie fun, and even a wedding, here's what the 'Stros have been up to.

The video above is from a previous report.

Pitcher Ryne Stanek gets married

There's no better way to celebrate being a World Series Champion than saying "I do!"

Pitcher Ryne Stanek and his wife, Jessica Stanek, appear to have officially tied the knot last year but had their wedding with family and friends over the weekend.

Photos and videos re-shared to their Instagram stories showed guests enjoying their big day on Saturday, including some familiar faces!

Lance and Kara McCullers and Ryan and Kat Pressly were among the attendees.

Ryne and Jess announced their engagement in March of 2021.

Together, the pair shares a daughter, Joelle Layne.

Congratulations Ryne and Jess!

Rookie Jeremy Peña becomes a foodie and gets 'grillz'

World Series MVP Jeremy Peña has been spotted at Houstonians' favorite eateries all over town.

Red Circle Ice Cream shared a photo of Peña on Sunday, thanking him for supporting a local small business.

Arandas bakery also shared a photo of the MVP on Sunday, saying he dropped by for tacos and pan dulce.

"Arandas is proud of La Tormenta!" the business wrote on Instagram.

Peña has done more than get some good eats, though! He was also fitted for a set of custom, jewelry-encrusted "grillz" with iconic Houston jeweler Johnny Dang.

"He did his part. imma do mine," Dang captioned the photos of the pair together.

Dang and Peña posed in a batting stance for one picture, and Peña was seen wearing the mouthpiece that molds his teeth.

Alex and Reagan Bregman go black-tie at CMA Awards

Just a couple days after the big win, third baseman Alex Bregman and his wife, Reagan Bregman, were among country music's biggest stars in Nashville at the CMA Awards.

Reagan chronicled the couple's trip to the country music capital of the world through her Instagram Stories.

One photo shows Alex in a black tie taking a selfie with his dashing wife.

Reagan's Stories then show the CMAs stage from a front-row-center-type of angle. A final photo shows hosts Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning in the shot.

Multiple players meet fans at Houston-area events

The chance to meet the 'Stros has drawn huge crowds of fans at several events around the city.

Yordan Álvarez and Cristian Javier met fans at two DICK'S Sporting Goods locations, meanwhile, José Altuve, Alex Bregman and Kyle Tucker had meet-and-greets at Academy Sports + Outdoors.

Each meet-and-greet drew huge lines. Some fans arrived well over 24 hours early to ensure they met their favorite player.

Altuve's event in particular got people talking. One fan, Liza Valverde, skipped her opportunity to ring the "cancer-free" bell after her last radiation treatment to make sure she could be first in line.

Someone else at the Academy store heard Valverde's story and decided to do something special.

"He said, 'I heard you didn't get to ring the bell. Well, here's a bell for you to ring,'" Valverde said.

A video shared with ABC13 shows Valverde ringing the bell and celebrating outside the store.

When she finally met Altuve, after 33 hours of waiting, she was surprised with an autographed jersey and an embrace with the star.

Peña was scheduled to meet fans while working a drive-thru shift at the Raising Canes located at 7009 Gulf Freeway at noon on Monday.

Fans slept in their cars at the fast food restaurant overnight before the event.

Justin Verlander opts out of $25M in last year of deal with Astros, becomes free agent

Pitcher Justin Verlander opted out of the last year of his deal with the Houston Astros, which was due to pay him $25 million in 2023.

The 39-year-old had one of the best seasons of his career in 2022, posting a 1.75 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP, striking out 185 batters in 175 innings over 28 starts for the World Champion Astros.

The decision to opt out immediately makes Verlander one of the best free-agent pitchers.

Dusty Baker gets paid

Astros manager Dusty Baker announced he would be making a comeback next year.

The club signed Baker to a one-year contract for the 2023 season.

Baker had signaled a comeback, saying, "If I win one, I want to win two."

"I wasn't just talking. I meant what I said. I'd love to keep my word," he said about his previous comment.

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