BROWN VS. HEANEY

Houston Astros eye critical wins in clash with Rangers

Astros Hunter Brown
Hunter Brown takes the ball for Houston Monday night. Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images.

Houston Astros (57-54, second in the AL West) vs. Texas Rangers (53-59, third in the AL West)

Arlington, Texas; Monday, 8:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Hunter Brown (9-7, 4.11 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 126 strikeouts); Rangers: Andrew Heaney (4-11, 4.12 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 107 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -125, Rangers +106; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Texas Rangers host the Houston Astros to start a three-game series.

Texas has gone 30-25 at home and 53-59 overall. The Rangers are 38-19 in games when they record eight or more hits.

Houston is 57-54 overall and 25-28 in road games. The Astros are 43-5 in games when they scored at least five runs.

The teams meet Monday for the 11th time this season. The season series is tied 5-5.

TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Smith has a .279 batting average to lead the Rangers, and has 20 doubles, a triple and 11 home runs. Corey Seager is 14-for-41 with three home runs and five RBI over the last 10 games.

Yordan Alvarez has 26 doubles, two triples and 20 home runs while hitting .301 for the Astros. Yainer Diaz is 17-for-39 with four doubles, a triple and two home runs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 3-7, .236 batting average, 6.76 ERA, outscored by 28 runs

Astros: 5-5, .243 batting average, 3.50 ERA, outscored by one run

INJURIES: Rangers: Jake Latz: 15-Day IL (forearm), Max Scherzer: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Evan Carter: 60-Day IL (lumbar), Jon Gray: 15-Day IL (groin), Cole Winn: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tyler Mahle: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carson Coleman: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Astros: Kyle Tucker: 60-Day IL (shin), Justin Verlander: 15-Day IL (neck), Cristian Javier: 60-Day IL (forearm), Jose Urquidy: 60-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)

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We have a trade! Composite Getty Image.

There’s been plenty of buzz about the Texans making moves during this year’s draft, and they didn’t waste any time proving it true.

Just hours before the 2025 NFL Draft kicks off, Houston has pulled off a trade with the Cleveland Browns.

Houston is sending a 2025 5th round pick and a 2027 5th round pick to Cleveland in exchange for two 2025 6th round picks and one 2025 7th round selection.

While it's no certainty, it sure seems the Texans are trying to acquire as much capital as possible in the 2025 Draft to help them maneuver up and down the board over the next three days.

Texans GM Nick Caserio has a reputation as a wheeler and dealer, and this year is clearly no exception.

Will the Texans use this capital to move up in the first round? We're about to find out!

Go Texans!

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