TONIGHT’S GAME: The first-place Houston Astros (76-75) will continue their final homestand of the season tonight as they host the Kansas City Royals (66-85) for the middle game of their three-game series at Daikin Park.
The resurgent RHP Cristian Javier (2-5, 5.50 ERA) will try to pitch the Astros to back-to-back wins tonight as he starts opposite LHP Daniel Lynch IV (5-5, 3.52 ERA) and the Royals.
MR. CRISTIAN: RHP Cristian Javier is making his 11th start and 16th appearance of the season tonight.
He’s pitched well in his last two starts, holding the D-backs and Phillies to a combined two runs on four hits in 11.0 innings for a 1.64 ERA. He had 13 strikeouts over those last two starts and has fanned 30 hitters in 23.1 IP over his last five outings.
ASTROS-ROYALS: The Astros and Royals have a memorable history, with the two clubs meeting each other in the 2015 ALDS, won by the Royals in five games. 11 years later, 2B Jose Altuve and C Salvador Perez remain on their respective team’s active rosters, while SS Carlos Correa, currently on the IL, also played in the series. More recently, the Astros are 10-4 in their last 14 games against the Royals, including a 3-1 record this season.
HADER NAMED CLEMENTE NOMINEE: For the second straight season, LHP Josh Hader has been named the Astros nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, baseball’s most prestigious individual honor for MLB players. The Roberto Clemente Award is the annual recognition of an MLB player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
LOS ASTROS: Space City Home Network will televise tonight’s game in English and Spanish with the Spanish broadcast being televised on SCHN2. Enrique Vasquez and Danny Gonzales will be on the call on the Spanish telecast tonight.
LAST NIGHT’S WIN: The Astros picked up a 4-2 win last night behind a huge game by SS Jeremy Peña (3×4, 2RBI), who homered twice, including a leadoff shot. He was joined by DH Yordan Alvarez (1×2, 2RBI), who connected for a two-run homer in the 5th. RHP Hunter Brown (1ER/5IP) earned the victory, fanning 10 hitters, which ties his career high.
BROTHER BROWN: Astros ace RHP Hunter Brown has posted a 5-2 record and a 3.00 ERA (19ER/57IP) in his last nine starts (since July 25), pitching through the 5th inning in all nine outings. Brown, who finished third in the AL Cy Young Award voting last season, has been limited this season, missing over two months due to a lengthy stint on the IL (April 1-June 15) with a right shoulder strain.
ON THE MEND: The Astros have five players on the Major League Injured List. Here are updates on four:
• RHP Mike Burrows (rt. shoulder inflammation) threw 20 pitches off a mound on Sunday at the Astros Florida complex. He will continue his throwing progression in Houston this week.
• IF Carlos Correa (lt. ankle tendon injury) will not return to the active roster in 2026. Correa spent last week rehabbing at the Astros Florida complex and during the ramp-up process he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired ankle. He will return to Houston this week to be medically re-evaluated.
• LHP Steven Okert (rt. hamstring strain) spent last week at the Astros Florida complex, where he began a throwing progression. He will continue his throwing progression in Houston this week.
• OF Brice Matthews (lt. knee sprain) began a minor league rehab assignment last week with Triple A Sugar Land. He’s played in four games so far, appearing defensively in CF, 2B, 3B and LF
TRIPLE THREAT: DH Yordan Alvarez, who is a solid candidate for the AL MVP Award, currently ranks first or second in the AL in all three Triple Crown categories. He enters today leading the AL in batting avg. (.310), while ranking second in HR (39) and RBI (98). Alvarez also leads the Majors in OPS (1.023), SLG (.594) and OBP (.429). Since Carl Yastrzemski won the AL Triple Crown in 1967, there has been just one Triple Crown winner in the Majors, Miguel Cabrera in 2012 (AL).
TRIPLE DIGITS: DH Yordan Alvarez reached 98 RBI last night and is looking to post the 29th 100RBI season in Astros history. Alvarez’s career high in RBI is 104, which he reached in 2021.
LEADING MAN: SS Jeremy Peña hit his fifth leadoff home run of the season last night, and the 10th of his career, a total that ranks fifth in Astros history. He now immediately trails OF Terry Puhl (13 leadoff HR) for fourth on that all-time list.
STALKING 200: 1B Christian Walker is currently sitting on 199 career home runs and needs just one homer to become the 35th active Major League player to reach 200 career long balls. Walker has hit 25 homers this year for his fifth consecutive 25-plus homer season (2022-26).
THE FIREMAN: LHP Josh Hader converted his 26th consecutive save opportunity to open his season last night, which sets the Astros franchise record. The previous record of converting 25 consecutive saves opportunities to begin a season was set last season by Hader as well. Should Hader finish the season without a blown save, he would become just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to post 26-plus saves without a blown save and the first to do so since RHP Ken Giles in 2018 (26 SV).
CHAMPS!: The Class A Fayetteville Woodpeckers won the Carolina League Championship Series last night with a 7-4 win over Charleston in Game 2 of the three-game championship series. This gives the Astros two minor league champions this season, which includes the FCL Astros, who took home their respective title.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1995 – 2B Craig Biggio ties a club record by stealing four bases in an Astros 7-4 win over the Expos in Montreal. Since this date, no Astros player has recorded four steals in a 9.0-inning game.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Wednesday, September 16, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Space City Home Network, SCHN2 (Spanish)
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; KTRH 740 AM; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
