SERIES PREVIEW
Astros meet Rays for season's first battle, Kikuchi to debut for Houston
Aug 2, 2024, 2:02 pm
The Astros host the Rays Friday night at Minute Maid. Composite Getty Image.
Tampa Bay Rays (55-53, fourth in the AL East) vs. Houston Astros (56-52, first in the AL West)
Houston; Friday, 8:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Shane Baz (0-1, 3.66 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 19 strikeouts); Astros: Yusei Kikuchi (4-9, 4.75 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 130 strikeouts)
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK: LINE Astros -161, Rays +137; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros host the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday to begin a three-game series.
Astros lineup for the opener below.
New Series.
⚾ : 7:10 pm
🏟️ : Closed
📺 : @SpaceCityHN | SCHN 2
🎙️ : @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#Relentless x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/Vh0TjYBV7S
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 2, 2024
Houston has a 31-24 record at home and a 56-52 record overall. The Astros have the 10th-best team on-base percentage in the majors at .320.
Tampa Bay has a 25-24 record in road games and a 55-53 record overall. The Rays have an 18-10 record in games decided by one run.
Friday’s game is the first time these teams square off this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Yordan Alvarez has 25 doubles, two triples and 20 home runs for the Astros. Yainer Diaz is 15-for-39 with three doubles, a triple, two home runs and seven RBI over the past 10 games.
Yandy Diaz has a .271 batting average to lead the Rays, and has 21 doubles, a triple and nine home runs. Brandon Lowe is 11-for-34 with two home runs and seven RBI over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 4-6, .260 batting average, 4.55 ERA, outscored by eight runs
Rays: 6-4, .216 batting average, 3.03 ERA, outscored opponents by 12 runs
INJURIES: 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)
Rays: Richard Palacios: day-to-day (knee), Ryan Pepiot: 15-Day IL (knee), Richard Lovelady: 15-Day IL (forearm), Jacob Waguespack: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Drew Rasmussen: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (forearm)
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Astros show signs of life in blowout win over Brewers
May 7, 2025, 3:25 pm
Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez has a strained muscle at the top of his right hand, a diagnosis that instills optimism he won’t have a prolonged stay on the injured list.
The three-time All-Star went on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to Saturday, and returned to Houston for an MRI that revealed the muscle strain.
“We look at it as good news,” Astros manager Joe Espada said before their Wednesday afternoon game with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Espada expressed hope that Alvarez wouldn’t have to stay on the injured list longer than the required 10 days. He also said the hand issue may have played a role in Alvarez’s slow start.
Alvarez, 27, is hitting .210 with a .306 on-base percentage, three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season. He batted .308 with a .392 on-base percentage, 35 homers and 86 RBIs in 147 games last year while ranking ninth in the AL Most Valuable Player balloting.
He has posted an OPS of at least .959 and has finished 13th or higher in the MVP voting each of the last three seasons.
“Once he heals, once he gets back, I think we’ll see a more aggressive at bat and be not as cautious,” Espada said. “I think it had something to do with it, yes.”
His potential return could go a long way toward boosting an Astros lineup that hasn’t been as productive as usual this season. The Astros entered Wednesday’s action ranked 21st in the majors in runs (136) and 23rd in OPS (.676). Houston has ranked 11th or better in both those categories each of the last four seasons.