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 Astros ascension to AL's top team is powered by culture, unlikely heroes
Jul 24, 2025, 3:10 pm
The Houston Astros walked out of Phoenix with a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks, but the biggest win of the series might not have been in the standings, it could’ve been the emergence of their latest young spark plug.
Once again, the pitching carried the load. Brandon Walter continued his breakout season with another strong showing, and right now, he looks like Houston’s third starter if the playoffs began today. Behind him, Ryan Gusto and Colton Gordon have quietly helped stabilize a rotation ravaged by injuries. All three own ERAs under 4.5, a luxury the Astros couldn’t have anticipated heading into the year. Another thing they couldn't have anticipated was Lance McCullers' ERA this season being almost seven.
Walter’s rise comes at the same time the McCullers situation grows murkier. After starting the season late, he’s on the injured list again, this time with a blister on his pitching hand. Though the issue isn’t related to his arm, the “vibes” simply haven't been there. He’s struggled in four of his last five starts, and one wonders whether a "phantom" IL stint might be in his future, especially with Cristian Javier and Spencer Arrighetti progressing in rehab assignments. The roster squeeze is coming, and McCullers might not make the cut.
Crushing dingers!
Offensively, the conversation begins and ends with Brice Matthews. The first-round pick has quickly shifted from injury fill-in to potential staple, nearly winning the series by himself with three home runs across the first two games. His athleticism has popped in the field, and while contact concerns remain, the power and energy are real. Matthews is the only prospect of his pedigree ready to contribute, so the club made a wise decision to take a shot on upside, and Matthews delivered. That's why we were so emphatic about the Astros elevating Matthews. Get him in the lineup as a DH if you have to, whatever it takes, this offense needs pop. Then lo and behold, not only does he give the offense a lift, his defense also helped seal a win against Arizona.
Veteran slugger Christian Walker might be heating up too, posting a .348 average with three home runs and an .895 OPS in July. That’s a promising development, especially in a month when the Astros have flipped their typical formula. The pitching has been average — 18th in ERA, 18th in WHIP, 21st in opponent batting average — but the offense has been elite: top-five in slugging, OPS, and runs scored.
Injury bug
Still, questions persist. Chief among them is the health of Yordan Alvarez. His recent comments about his hand injury — specifically, his uncertainty and acknowledgement that rest hasn’t helped — were troubling. If surgery isn’t an option and time off isn’t working, what is the long-term solution? At this point, fans are right to worry about whether Alvarez will ever fully return to the dominant form he once showed.
Trade deadline
With the trade deadline one week away, general manager Dana Brown has to weigh all of this. The pitching could soon be bolstered by returns from the IL. But the offense, especially with no clear return dates for Alvarez, Jeremy Peña, Jake Meyers, and Isaac Paredes, might need immediate help. Despite the sweep, Houston scored just three and four runs in the final two games of the Diamondbacks series. If they’re serious about contending for a championship, another bat may be required. They'll see much better pitching in the postseason.
If the Astros do decide to add an arm, a power right-handed reliever could make sense. With Bryan Abreu the only truly dominant righty in the bullpen, a little late-inning muscle wouldn’t hurt.
Bottom line: the Astros are winning, and they're doing it in multiple ways. But with health concerns piling up and playoff positioning tightening, there’s still plenty of work ahead. Fortunately for Houston, they may have just found another foundational piece in the most unexpected place, a rookie who’s already changing the conversation.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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