TODAY’S GAME: The Astros will play their 100th game of the season today as they host the Orioles for the middle game of their three-game series at Daikin Park.
RHP Spencer Arrighetti (7-5) will get his first start of the second half today opposite the Orioles and starter LHP Trevor Rogers (6-7).
THE STOPPER: RHP Spencer Arrighetti is making his 16th start of the season today and his ninth following an Astros loss.
In his previous eighth starts after an Astros loss, Arrighetti has gone 5-0 with a 2.38
ERA (12ER/45.1IP).
THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 27-21 since May 21, which is the best record in the AL in that span.
On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.
GET ‘EM EARLY: The Astros rank first in the AL and second in MLB in 1st-inning runs (67).
Overall, the Astros rank fourth in the AL in runs (451) immediately ahead of the Orioles (450).
RACKING UP WINS: Manager Joe Espada has 222 managerial wins as the Astros skipper, which ranks 11th in franchise history.
With two more wins, he will match Terry Collins (224 wins) for 10th on the Astros all-time managerial wins list.
THE LINEUP: The Astros have used 98 different lineups in their 99 games, repeating a lineup just once on the season.
DH Yordan Alvarez has the most starts at any spot in the lineup among Astros, hitting second 86 times.
TODAY’S PROMOTIONS: At today’s game, the Astros will celebrate Christmas in July, presented by Macy’s.
Fans are encouraged to stop by the open- to-the-public festive area located in Union Station, featuring some incredible Light Up the Park displays.
Additionally, 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a Yainer Diaz Catching Bobblehead, presented by Goya.
THIS WEEKEND’S TELECASTS: This entire series will be televised by Space City Home Network with Todd Kalas, Geoff Blum and Lauren Callender on the call.
Sideline reporter Julia Morales will rejoin the broadcast next week.
ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Astros dropped a close game last night by a score of 3-2 to the Orioles.
RHP Peter Lambert (1ER/6IP) was great in his start, fanning a career-high 10 hitters, while allowing just three hits in his start.
SS Jeremy Peña (2×3, 2BB), DH Yordan Alvarez (2×3, RBI, 2BB) and 3B Isaac Paredes (1×3, RBI, BB) reached base 10 times among the three of them at the top of the order.
RIDING THE LAMBO: Last night’s starter RHP Peter Lambert, who was a minor league free agent signing this offseason, leads the club in wins and among AL pitchers he ranks second in opponent average (.197) and seventh in ERA (3.03) (min. 90IP).
Lambert pitched last year for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows in the NPB, posting a 3.98 ERA (55ER/124.1IP) with 111 strikeouts in 23 starts.
MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez is a strong MVP candidate, currently leading all of baseball in OPS (1.067), OBP (.431), SLG (.636), and total bases (224).
Additionally, he is the Triple Crown leader in the AL, ranking first in batting average (.321), HR (31), and RBI (71) entering play today.
Alvarez also ranks first in the AL in hits (113), first in XBH (49), tied for second in runs (65), and fourth in walks (65).
ALL-STAR ALVAREZ: DH Yordan Alvarez started and hit second for the AL in this week’s All-Star Game, going 1×2 with a single and a run scored.
This marked the fourth All-Star selection for Alvarez (2022-24, 2026) and the second time that he was voted as a starter (also in 2024)
WHAT A HALF!: DH Yordan Alvarez hit 31 homers prior to the break, which are the most in a first half in club history, topping OF Lance Berkman, who hit 29 homers in the first half of the 2002 season.
Alvarez is on pace to hit 50 homers on the season, which would represent a new franchise record, topping the 47 homers hit by 1B Jeff Bagwell in 2000.
Additionally, he ranks first in the AL in HR (31), first in RBI (70), first in XBH (48), tied for first in hits (111), second in batting average (.318), second in runs (65), and fourth in walks (63).
KEYSTONE FLIGHTS: 2B Jose Altuve has 246 career homers as a second baseman and per Elias that ties him with 2B Joe Gordon and 2B Ian Kinsler for eighth all-time in homers by a second baseman in MLB history.
On that all-time list, the trio immediately trails 2B Bret Boone (251), who happens to be the father-in-law of IF Nick Allen.
TAP FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 70 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (61%).
2B Jose Altuve has been successful on 15-of-21 challenges (71%), ranking second in the Majors in challenges won.
3B Isaac Paredes (11-for-12) has been the most efficient regular challenger for the team and was successful in his first 11 challenges on the season.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader is 3-1 with 10 saves (in 10 chances), has a 1.17 ERA (2ER/15.1IP), 25 strikeouts in 15.1 innings, a .115 (6×52) opponent average, and a 0.91 WHIP in 17 appearances.
He has not allowed a hit in 13 of his 17 appearances.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros rank second in the AL in fielding pct. (.988) and their 42 errors are the second-fewest in the AL.
1B Christian Walker has led the way, as he has not committed an error in his 95 games played at 1B.
Dating back to last season, Walker has not made an error in his last 123 games at 1B (last error was Aug. 23, 2025 at BAL).
ON THE MEND: RHP Hayden Wesneski (right elbow surgery) pitched for Triple A Sugar Land last night at El Paso, tossing 4.0 innings and 64 pitches, while allowing three runs on six hits.
He’s now made four rehab appearances, posting a 2.87 ERA (5ER/15.2IP) with 14 strikeouts in those contests.
MINOR LEAGUE PROMOTIONS: The Astros promoted several prospects throughout the minor league system over the All-Star break, notably moving RHP Jackson Nezuh up to Triple A Sugar Land, OF Chase Call up to Double A Corpus Christi, and IF Xavier Neyens up to Class A Asheville.
Neyens, who was the Astros first-round pick last season and currently ranks among the top 100 prospects in baseball, made his Tourists debut last night, going 1×4 with a double.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Saturday, July 18, 3:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
