WILD CARD SERIES, GAME 2: The Houston Astros (0-1) will host the Chicago White Sox (1-0) for a do-or-die Game 2 of the 2026 AL Wild Card Series today at Daikin Park. The Astros look to extend their season with their ace RHP Hunter Brown (6-4, 3.19 ERA) on the mound opposite RHP Sean Burke (11-7, 3.34 ERA) and the White Sox.
TODAY’S PITCHING MATCHUP: RHP Hunter Brown is a perfect 6-0 with a 2.39 ERA (10ER/37.2IP) in six career starts against the White Sox, including two starts this season. Brown and
today’s White Sox starter RHP Sean Burke matched up on July 25, 2026 at CWS, with Brown (0ER/7IP) beating Burke (2ER/6IP) in a 4-1 Astros win. That win sparked a strong finish for Brown, as he went 5-3 with a 2.67 ERA (20ER/67.1IP) in his final 12 starts of the season.
IN THE POSTSEASON: The Astros are making their 19th postseason appearance in club history in what is the 65th year of the franchise that began in 1962. This season marks the 14th time in club history for the Astros to enter the postseason as a division winner. The Astros have won three different divisions in their history, the NL West (1980, 1986), NL Central (1997-99, 2001) and AL West (2017-19, 2021-24, 2026).
SINCE 2015: After a one-year hiatus, the Astros are back in the postseason for the 10th time in the last 12 seasons (dating back to the 2015 season). The Astros join the Dodgers and Yankees as the only teams in the Majors to qualify for the postseason in at least 10 of the last 12 years.
POSTSEASON VETS: Since 2015, the Astros have played more postseason games (106) and have earned more postseason wins (62) than any other AL club. The Astros are 62-44 in that span for a .585 winning pct. in the postseason.
THE WILD CARD: The Astros are playing in the Wild Card round for the fourth time in their history. The Astros entered this series 3-2 all-time in the Wild Card round, dispatching the Yankees in the one-game playoff in 2015, sweeping the Twins in the 2020 Wild Card Series and getting swept by the Tigers in the 2024 Wild Card Series.
THE PEACOCK BROADCAST: This series will be exclusively televised by Peacock/NBCSN. Tom McCarthy will serve as play-by-play man alongside analysts Geoff Blum and Steve Stone. Adam Ottavino and Britney Eurton will work sideline duties for the telecast.
TODAY’S POSTGAME SHOW: Following every game of this Wild Card Series, Space City Home Network will air a live 30-minute postgame show, which will be hosted by Kevin Eschenfelder and Todd Kalas. The show will be hosted from the SCHN set on the center field concourse.
ABOUT GAME 1: The Astros dropped Game 1 of the Wild Card Series last night, losing to the White Sox, 6-3. Both teams went with bullpen games, with the Astros using eight pitchers, including RHP Miguel Ullola (1ER/3IP), who worked the bulk innings. PH Nelson Velázquez homered for the Astros, marking just the fourth pinch-hit home run in Astros postseason history and the first since IF Chris Burke hit one in Game 1 of the 2005 NLCS at STL.
VS. THE WHITE SOX: The Astros and White Sox are meeting each other for their third all-time postseason series against each other, the others being the 2005 World Series and the 2021 ALDS. The White Sox swept the Astros in 2005, while the Astros dispatched the Sox in 2021 in four games. History aside, the Astros went 5-2 against the White Sox this regular season, including a 3-1 record at Daikin Park.
AT THE HELM: Astros manager Joe Espada has guided the Astros to the postseason in two of his three seasons as the Astros manager since taking over before the 2024 season. Espada has posted a 256-229 regular season record in his three years as the Astros manager and ranks ninth in club history in managerial wins.
ABOUT THE ROSTER: The Astros Wild Card Series roster includes 12 pitchers and 14 position players. Prior to this series, 13 players on the roster had no postseason playing experience, including five position players and eight pitchers. In addition to their active roster, the Astros are carrying 16 players with them throughout the postseason on their Taxi Squad.
GOIN’ DEEP: The Astros hit 226 regular season homers as a team this year, which were the most in the Majors. The last time the Astros led the Majors in home runs was in 2000, when they hit 249 homers. The 2026 Astros also led the AL in SLG (.417) and OPS (.732).
THE CASE FOR THE MVP: DH Yordan Alvarez is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award. Alvarez led the AL in OPS (1.033), slugging percentage (.601), OBP (.432), batting average (.316), total bases (341), walks (109), IBB (33), WRC (154), OPS+ (192) and extra-base hits (77). He also ranked second in RBI (106), second in hits (179), tied for second in home runs (42), tied for third in runs (105), and tied for fourth in doubles (34).
COMING UP BIG: 2B Jose Altuve ranks second in postseason history in HR (27), second in runs (89), third in hits (118), tied for third in extra-base hits (48), sixth in games (106) and seventh in RBI (56)
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted all 26 of his save chances this season. He is the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save. The last Major Leaguer to do so was RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2020 – The Astros dispatch the Twins in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series by a score of 3-1 at Target Field. RHP José Urquidy (1ER/4.1IP) started for Houston, while RHP Cristian Javier (0ER/3IP) earned the win.. Tied 1-1 in the 7th, SS Carlos Correa connected for a solo homer to put the Astros ahead. The win advances the Astros to a meeting with the A’s in the ALDS.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, September 30, 4:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Peacock/NBCSN
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 HD2 FM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
