TALE OF THE TAPE
Houston Astros and Giants clash in decisive series finale
Jun 12, 2024, 10:32 am
Framber Valdez takes the hill for Houston. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
Houston Astros (31-37, third in the AL West) vs. San Francisco Giants (33-35, third in the NL West)
San Francisco; Wednesday, 3:45 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Framber Valdez (5-3, 3.53 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 50 strikeouts); Giants: Logan Webb (5-5, 2.92 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 73 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Giants -117, Astros -102; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros meet on Wednesday with the winner claiming the three-game series.
San Francisco has an 18-15 record in home games and a 33-35 record overall. The Giants have gone 9-4 in games when they hit two or more home runs.
Houston has a 14-19 record in road games and a 31-37 record overall. The Astros have the second-best team batting average in MLB play at .259.
Wednesday’s game is the third time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Matt Chapman leads San Francisco with eight home runs while slugging .400. Heliot Ramos is 15-for-39 with four home runs and 10 RBI over the past 10 games.
Alex Bregman has 12 doubles, a triple and nine home runs for the Astros. Yordan Alvarez is 15-for-39 with four doubles, a triple and four home runs over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Giants: 4-6, .225 batting average, 4.39 ERA, outscored by six runs
Astros: 6-4, .267 batting average, 3.33 ERA, outscored opponents by 16 runs
INJURIES: Giants: Blake Snell: 15-Day IL (groin), Marco Luciano: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), LaMonte Wade Jr: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jung Hoo Lee: 60-Day IL (labrum), Tom Murphy: 60-Day IL (head), Nick Ahmed: 10-Day IL (wrist), Alex Cobb: 60-Day IL (hip), Ethan Small: 60-Day IL (oblique), Austin Warren: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tristan Beck: 60-Day IL (arm), Robbie Ray: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Astros: Kyle Tucker: 10-Day IL (shin), Jose Urquidy: 60-Day IL (forearm), Spencer Arrighetti: day-to-day (calf), Cristian Javier: 15-Day IL (forearm), Oliver Ortega: 60-Day IL (elbow), Bennett Sousa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Penn Murfee: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Kendall Graveman: 60-Day IL (elbow)
The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
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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