Just before the trade deadline, the Astros added outfielder Daulton Varsho from the Blue Jays, and he didn't waste any time making his presence felt. He started in center field and singled in his first at-bat as an Astro, the same position where he won a Gold Glove back in 2024. Varsho is a rental for Houston, set to hit free agency after this season, but he gives this outfield a real lift heading into the stretch run. Although his first series as an Astro against his former team ended in a loss, the Astros still played great baseball, especially Tuesday night.
Toronto took game one 3-1 behind Alejandro Kirk's homer, snapping the Astros' six-game winning streak.
Houston answered right back Tuesday night, taking it 7-2 behind a strong start from Hayden Wesneski. Wesneski took a comebacker off the glove early but stayed in the game and was fine.
Yainer Diaz and Cam Smith delivered back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth to put Houston up 2-0. Toronto answered with a triple that cut it to a one-run game, but the Astros kept coming. Yordan Alvarez, who's now drawn 80 walks on the season, reached base, Varsho drew a walk of his own, and a miscommunication in the field cost the Blue Jays a double play they needed.
Altuve followed with a line drive that scored Alvarez, making it 3-2. Then Taylor Trammell stepped up and launched a three-run homer to make it 6-2, and this time, he made sure it actually left the yard. Wesneski gave Houston exactly the length they needed, working six innings and allowing just two runs. Nick Allen missed a double play that would have ended the game, but he got another shot at it almost immediately and turned the double play to close things out instead.
Wednesday afternoon went the other way for the Astros. Houston jumped ahead early on Altuve's 13th homer of the year, and LaMonte Wade Jr.'s RBI single made it 2-0. But Hunter Brown gave up a two-run homer that tied things, and a late replay overturn went against Houston. The game went to extras, and Ernie Clement's two-run homer in the 10th gave Toronto the lead for good. Houston fell 5-4.
The Astros have now won 12 of their last 15 games and remain in first place in the AL West. Dropping this series doesn't change the bigger picture, this team is finding its rhythm right when it matters.
