After dominating Friday night, the Houston Astros continue their series against the Texas Rangers Saturday night at Daikin Park. The Astros are 56-55 after Friday night's 11-2 win, and they are now in first place in the AL West. The Rangers currently sit at 55-55 after the loss.
Jacob deGrom takes the mound for the Rangers. The former Cy Young winner is still pitching at a high level at 38 years old. DeGrom is currently seven and six with a 3.67 ERA and 132 strikeouts for the season, MLB.
Ronel Blanco will take the mound for the Houston Astros. He is zero and one with an 8.10 ERA and 12 strikeouts. He is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Ronel has had a few rough starts since returning from the IL and missing over a year, but the foundation is there, per MLB.
The Houston Astros just took first place Friday night, and this is the first real test of holding on to it, a tough matchup on paper given deGrom's track record versus Blanco's early return struggles. DeGrom is a 38-year-old veteran and still one of the most respected pitchers in the league.
Blanco was pitching well before his injury, and the rust since coming back is understandable given how long he was out. But today is a real chance for him to look like himself again.
Holding on to first place is crucial, and the Texas Rangers are just one game behind, so securing today's win would be huge, giving the Astros a real lead instead of being one game behind once again.
One of the most important things the Astros need from Blanco is length. So the question is, can Blanco give the Astros length, even in a difficult matchup.
Can Houston's offense, which just tied a season high with 18 hits, carry momentum into game two. Friday night was the ideal performance at the plate for Houston, with home runs after home run, and driving in double digit runs, posting a real challenge for Texas. Even replicating a fraction of that performance will go a long way in securing back to back wins against the Rangers.
A series win would put real distance between Houston and Texas heading into August. It sets up Sunday's finale with the season series and division lead both in play.
