SERIES PREVIEW
Decisive factors as Astros aim to even series with Reds
Sep 4, 2024, 1:15 pm
The Astros are back in action on Wednesday. Composite Getty Image.
Houston Astros (75-63, first in the AL West) vs. Cincinnati Reds (66-73, fourth in the NL Central)
Cincinnati; Wednesday, 6:40 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Spencer Arrighetti (7-11, 4.63 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 151 strikeouts); Reds: Nick Martinez (6-6, 3.78 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 86 strikeouts)
Rookie running the show. 💪
Congratulations to Spencer Arrighetti on being named the American League Rookie of the Month! pic.twitter.com/HDrwpAWGW7
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 3, 2024
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -140, Reds +119; over/under is 9 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Cincinnati Reds take on the Houston Astros after Ty France had four hits against the Astros on Monday.
Cincinnati has a 34-39 record in home games and a 66-73 record overall. The Reds are 49-27 in games when they record eight or more hits.
Houston has a 75-63 record overall and a 36-34 record on the road. The Astros have a 62-18 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents.
Wednesday’s game is the second meeting between these teams this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Elly De La Cruz has 22 home runs, 61 walks and 61 RBI while hitting .261 for the Reds. Tyler Stephenson is 14-for-35 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBI over the past 10 games.
Yordan Alvarez has 30 doubles, two triples, 30 home runs and 73 RBI for the Astros. Alex Bregman is 9-for-36 with a double, two home runs and two RBI over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Reds: 4-6, .267 batting average, 5.57 ERA, outscored by nine runs
Astros: 6-4, .255 batting average, 2.38 ERA, outscored opponents by 16 runs
INJURIES: Reds: Stuart Fairchild: 60-Day IL (thumb), Nick Lodolo: 15-Day IL (finger), Austin Wynns: 60-Day IL (teres), Andrew Abbott: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Jeimer Candelario: 10-Day IL (toe), Christian Roa: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Hunter Greene: 15-Day IL (elbow), Graham Ashcraft: 60-Day IL (elbow), Nick Martini: 60-Day IL (thumb), Christian Encarnacion-Strand: 60-Day IL (hand), Ian Gibaut: 60-Day IL (forearm), Tejay Antone: 60-Day IL (elbow), Matt McLain: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
Astros: Alex Bregman: day-to-day (elbow), J.P. France: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Kyle Tucker: 60-Day IL (shin), 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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The Houston Astros are in the middle of a midseason surge that’s turned heads across the American League, but don’t let the win streak distract from one key truth: they’re doing this with less.
So what’s powering the Astros’ recent run? It starts with elite pitching. Despite an offense that's been merely middle-of-the-pack — 14th in OPS, 20th in runs scored, and 17th in slugging — Houston ranks fifth in team ERA and leads the majors in batting average against (.218). That’s how they’re winning series while missing key pieces of their core.
Still, there’s more to this run than numbers. Is the resilience we’re seeing tangible evidence of the Astros’ winning culture? Absolutely — especially lately. Rookie Cam Smith is the latest example. He delivered the first walk-off hit of his career over the weekend and looks like he belongs in the big leagues. Meanwhile, the lineup has caught fire over the last week hitting:
- Jose Altuve: .429
- Jeremy Peña: .417
- Cam Smith: .304
- Yainer Diaz: .292
- Christian Walker: .278
And all of this has come without one of Houston’s top two hitters being unavailable for the Twins series, Isaac Paredes, who remains sidelined with a sore hamstring.
With 71 games in the books, the conversation around second-year manager Joe Espada is beginning to shift — from quiet confidence to serious consideration for AL Manager of the Year. The case is strong. Espada has navigated a bruised and bruising season that’s seen Yordan Alvarez miss extended time with a fractured bone in his hand and three key starting pitchers (Spencer Arrighetti, Hayden Wesneski, Ronel Blanco) land on the shelf — two of them for the year.
So, what would it take for Astros owner Jim Crane to give GM Dana Brown the green light to aggressively pursue help at the deadline? History suggests pitching would be the priority. But with young arms like Colton Gordon, Ryan Gusto, and Brandon Walter stepping up, a move may not feel necessary, especially if it means exceeding the luxury tax threshold.
The Astros might be banged up, but they’re thriving and proving they don’t need to be at full strength to play like contenders.
There's so much more to cover! 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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