The Houston Astros have kicked off their road trip with a win, picking up the kind of momentum they needed after a tough stretch away from home earlier this season.
The Astros-Guardians series began Monday with Houston earning a 9-2 victory. Behind a strong outing on the mound from Spencer Arrighetti and key contributions at the plate from Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes, the Astros stayed in control throughout and came away with a win.
Tonight will be the second game of the series as the Astros look to build a winning streak.
The focus now shifts to whether Houston can maintain the same level of execution from the series opener. If the Astros can keep the offense steady and get another quality outing on the mound, they’ll be in good shape to control the series.
After another steady start from Spencer Arrighetti, the Astros will turn to Ryan Weiss on the mound tonight as they continue the series against Cleveland.
Ryan Weiss has had a challenging start to the 2026 season. Through 14.2 innings, he holds a 6.75 ERA and 2.05 WHIP and is still searching for his first win. The focus for Weiss tonight will be command and limiting baserunners as he looks to get back on track.
Offensively, the Astros will look to build on what worked in the opener, where timely hits helped them take control of the game early. Another similar performance would put them in a strong position in the series.
Another strong performance on both sides of the ball would not only secure the series advantage but also help set a stronger tone for the rest of the road trip.
After a productive night at the plate in the series opener, Houston will look to keep things rolling. Here is a look at the Astros’ lineup for their matchup against the Guardians:
April 21 Lineup:
Carlos Correa (R), SS
Yordan Alvarez (L), DH
Jose Altuve (R), 2B
Christian Walker (R), 1B
Isaac Paredes (R), 3B
Cam Smith (R), RF
Yainer Diaz (R), C
Brice Matthews (R), CF
Dustin Harris (L), LF
If Houston can carry over Monday’s production at the plate and get another steady outing on the mound, they’ll be in a strong position to take control of the series. It would also continue the Astros’ push to bounce back after a rough first road trip earlier this year.