TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (39-43) begin a 4-game series vs. the Detroit Tigers (34-46) at Comerica Park tonight.
RHP Tatsuya Imai (4-3, 6.15 ERA) will start for the Astros vs. Tigers RHP Troy Melton (4-0, 2.56 ERA). Tonight will be Imai’s 1st career appearance vs. the Tigers.
ROAD TRIPPIN: Tonight is the 4th game (2-1 thus far) of a 7-game road trip for the Astros. They were 2-1 at TOR on the 1st stop of the trip.
Road Recovery: The Astros are 12-7 in their last 3 road trips combined. They
have have posted an 18-13 record on the road since going 1-9 on their 1st road trip of the 2026 season.
Road Bats: The Astros are T-1st in the AL in road batting avg. at .251. They also rank 2nd in road HR (56), SLG (.417) and OPS (.740) and 3rd in OBP (.326).
ASTROS-TIGERS: The Astros took 2 of 3 games from the Tigers last week at Daikin Park (June 15-17). The 2 clubs will play all 7 of their scheduled games between June 15-28. In 2025, the Astros and Tigers finished with identical 87-75 records, with the Tigers earning the final AL Wild Card spot due to winning the season series vs. HOU.
Recent Success: Since 2022, the Astros are 18-10 vs. DET with a 7-4 record at Comerica Park.
ABOUT IMAI: RHP Tatsuya Imai will make his 11th start of the season tonight and the 1st of his career vs. DET.
In his last start on June 19, Imai tallied a career-high 11 K’s en route to a 9-3 win vs. CLE (6 IP, 3 H, 3 ER).
Solid Stretch: Since May 25, Imai is 3-1 in his 5 starts with a 4.56 ERA (12 ER/23.2IP) with 27 K’s in 23.2 IP.
The No-No: Imai was the starting pitcher in the Astros combined no-hitter on May 25 at TEX, hurling 6.0 hitless innings on that historic night. In January, the Astros signed Imai to a three-year deal. In 2025, he was an All-Star for the Seibu Lions in the NPB in Japan, where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Astros have now won 4 cons. series for the 1st time in 2026, posting an 8-4 record in that span. The last time that the Astros won that many series in a row was when they won 5 straight, from June 20-July 6 of last season (went 12-3 in that stretch). Adding to that note from last season, the Astros did not lose a series between May 22-July 6, going 13 consecutive series without losing one (11-0-2 in series during that stretch).
CLOSE CALLS: The Astros are now 16-10 in 2-run games, 8-4 in 1-run games and 4-4 in extra innings.
ROSTER MOVE: Effective today, the Astros reinstated RHP Bryan Abreu from the Restricted List. LHP Colton Gordon was optioned to Triple A Sugar Land following last night’s game.
THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, over the last month or so (May 21-June 24), the Astros are 19-12 (.613), which is the 2nd-best record in the AL in that span.
Top Records since May 21 (AL)
1. NYY: 18-11 (.621)
2. HOU: 19-12 (.613)
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 3 of 4, 6 of 8 and 8 of their last 12 games.
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez has had a torrid 1st half to his season, currently leading all of baseball with a 1.069 OPS. Additionally, he leads the AL in SLG (.634), OBP (.435), TB (185), is T-1st in HR (25), 2nd in batting avg. (.322) and T-2nd in RBI (56).
Alvarez, who was the AL Player of the Month for May, is hitting .382 (29×76) in June with 5 HR and 17 RBI with a 1.121 OPS (.489 OBP/.632 SLG).
ALL-STAR VOTING: Yordan Alvarez leads all AL DH’s in All-Star voting, per MLB’s update on Monday. His 1,974,459 votes rank 2nd in the AL and 3rd overall in the Majors.
PEN PALS: Since May 15, the Astros bullpen has been one of the best in the AL, posting a 2.75 clip (41ER/134IP) in that span. The Astros are 22-15 since May 15.
OKERT’S 0’s: LHP Steven Okert has not allowed a run in his last 17.0 innings, which is the longest scoreless streak by an Astros hurler this season and the 3rd-longest by a reliever in the Majors this season. In his current streak, which spans 14 appearances, and began on May 23 at CHC, Okert has allowed just 8 hits in those 17.0 innings pitched.
Longest 2026 Scoreless Streaks – Relievers
1. Luke Weaver: 21.1 IP (active)
2. Chad Patrick: 18.1 IP
3. Steve Okert: 17.0 IP (active)*
*Okert’s streak is the longest by a LH reliever in ‘26.
HADERADE: In his 10 appearances since coming of the IL on June 3, opponents are just 2×32 off LHP Josh Hader. Hader has posted a 0.90 ERA (1ER/10IP) and is 6-for-6 in save opportunities (.063 opp. avg., .040 WHIP).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2022 – In the Bronx, 3 Astros hitters combine for a masterful, 3-0 no-hitter over the Yankees. RHP Cristian Javier is the main cog, punching out 13 batters with just 1 walk in 7.0 innings of work. RHP Hector Neris hurls a hitless 8th inning and RHP Ryan Pressly hurls a hitless 9th to preserve the no-hitter. Jose Altuve and J.J. Matijevic each hit solo HRs to provide the offense.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Thursday, June 25, 5:40 p.m. CT
Location: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
TV: SCHN
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
