What’s at stake as Astros look to regain control against A’s
GAME 2 PREVIEW
25 July
The Astros host the A's Friday night. Composite Getty Image.
The Houston Astros will look to even their series against the Oakland Athletics on Friday night at Minute Maid Park after a rare misstep at home in Thursday’s opener.
Despite the 5-2 loss, Houston (60-43) remains firmly in first place in the AL West and continues to be one of the league’s toughest teams at home, entering Friday with a 33-20 record at Minute Maid. The Astros also boast a 40-19 mark in games where they collect at least eight hits — a number they'll be aiming for as they try to generate more consistent offense.
Rookie right-hander Ryan Gusto (6-3, 4.46 ERA) gets the ball for Houston in what will be his 15th start of the season. Gusto has had his ups and downs but continues to show promise, posting 77 strikeouts over 80.2 innings. He’ll be looking for a bounce-back performance after a shaky outing last weekend.
Oakland counters with left-hander Jeffrey Springs (8-7, 4.34 ERA), who’s put together a solid but inconsistent season. The A’s (43-62) sit at the bottom of the AL West but have shown they can hang with Houston — they’ve now won four of the seven meetings between the two clubs this season.
The Astros will again count on Christian Walker, who leads the team in RBIs and continues to provide steady middle-of-the-order production. Rookie Brice Matthews has also turned heads with three homers in his last 10 games, showing flashes of the power and athleticism that earned him a call-up.
Oakland’s offense, meanwhile, is anchored by Tyler Soderstrom (18 HR) and surging rookie Nick Kurtz, who is hitting an eye-popping .500 (19-for-38) with nine doubles, a triple, and four homers in his last 10 games.
Both teams are coming in with similar recent form — Houston is 5-5 over its last 10, with a team ERA of 3.81, while Oakland is 4-6 with a 4.34 ERA in that same span.
Friday marks the eighth meeting of the year between the division rivals, with Houston holding a narrow 4-3 edge in the season series. According to BetMGM, the Astros enter as -159 favorites, with the over/under set at 8 runs.
With the trade deadline looming and a tight divisional race unfolding, every game matters — and for Houston, bouncing back Friday night could help restore momentum as they push toward the stretch run.
Injuries
Starting pitcher Brandon Walter heads to the 15-day IL with left elbow inflammation. RHP Nick Hernandez has been recalled.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/P89oHwDhJx
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 25, 2025
Game 2 starting lineup
Game 2⃣.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/NptD6yHelh
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 25, 2025
What stands out? Cam Smith is back in the leadoff spot, with Jose Altuve in the two-hole and playing second base. Victor Caratini will serve as the DH and hit third, followed by Christian Walker (1B), Yainer Diaz (C), and Cooper Hummell (LF). Mauricio Dubon will hit seventh and play third base, with Chas McCormick patrolling center field, and Zack Short hitting ninth and playing shortstop.
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How scrappy Astros can redefine team as tight division race enters critical stretch
Aug 14, 2025, 1:50 pm
The Astros got a little revenge on the Red Sox this week, taking the series after Boston swept them at the start of August. Hunter Brown delivered exactly what Houston needed — a dominant start that saw him hold Boston to one run over 6.2 innings. Yainer Díaz stayed hot, launching a two-run homer that gave the pitching staff some breathing room and tilted the game in Houston’s favor. Even with Carlos Correa getting the day off on Wednesday, the Astros still secured the series win, and he’ll get the benefit of Thursday’s off day as well.
The series also gave us our first look at Houston’s bullpen without Josh Hader, who’s on the shelf with a shoulder strain. Bennett Sousa stepped up, keeping the lead intact so Bryan Abreu could slam the door in the ninth. Espada hasn’t officially called Abreu the closer, which signals the Astros may be going matchup-first with Hader out. That said, the bullpen as a whole took a hit in the series, allowing 11 runs — nine of them from regular bullpen arms in Game 2. Even Hector Neris, who was just released, might be looking at the box scores, thinking he wasn't that bad.
Health remains the other big piece to the Astros’ postseason picture. Spencer Arrighetti and Cristian Javier are both back in the rotation, with Javier impressing in his first start back from Tommy John. Luis Garcia is close behind, showing more velocity in his rehab outings for Sugar Land. It appears he's close to returning.
Luis Garcia, who maxed out at 92.5 mph in his Aug. 7 rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land, has touched 94.7 mph tonight.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 14, 2025
Jake Meyers is working his way back from a calf injury in Florida, but the big question is Yordan Alvarez. He’s set to take live BP soon, and this time the hope is that he avoids any discomfort that might set him back again.
Now comes the chance to create some breathing room in the AL West. The schedule ahead — Orioles, Tigers, Orioles again, Rockies, Angels — offers only one truly tough matchup in that stretch. On paper, it’s an ideal runway to put some distance between themselves and the Mariners. Sure, the A’s sweep earlier this season proves nothing is automatic, but this is a different Astros team than the one that stumbled back then. Since being swept by Boston, they’ve reeled off three straight series wins over the Marlins, Yankees, and Red Sox. Correa’s return hasn’t just been a nostalgia play — he’s producing at an elite level, taking pressure off guys like Christian Walker and Yainer Díaz, and setting a tone that’s carried through the lineup. If the chemistry keeps building, this soft stretch could be the spark that shapes their September push.
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