Astros head to Globe Life Field tonight to open a three-game series against the Texas Rangers. Houston enters on a two-game losing streak after dropping the series finale to Washington. A big series with the All-Star break right around the corner, and Texas leads the AL West.
Texas sits at 47-46, leading the AL West by half a game over Seattle, and Houston is 46-49, two games back. The Astros lead the season series against Texas 5-2, so they have the edge in this matchup historically. A series win here keeps Houston in the division race heading into the break, which is exactly what they need to make sure the season doesn't slip away. They can't have legendary players like Yordan Alvarez watching the playoffs from home two seasons in a row. When everything is clicking they can be dangerous, but all the pieces of the puzzle need to come together if they want to remain competitive.
Hunter Brown Takes the Mound
Brown is 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 29.1 innings since returning from his shoulder injury. He has looked like his old self since coming back and is one of the main reasons to feel good about this team's second half. The Astros need him to give them length and keep them in the game early, but the bullpen needs a break and Brown is usually the guy to give it to them, per MLB.
The Matchup
Cal Quantrill is 3-1 with a 3.35 ERA for Texas in 40.1 innings. His command has been solid with just 12 walks on the season, and he has been one of the more reliable arms in the Rangers' rotation. Houston will need to be patient against him, per MLB.
After this series wraps up, Yordan heads to Philadelphia for his fourth All-Star Game. He received more player votes than any other American Leaguer this season, which tells you everything you need to know about where he stands in the eyes of his peers. He trails Yandy Díaz by 16 points in the batting race, but three games against Texas is plenty of time to make things interesting. A hot finish before the break and Alvarez could head to Philadelphia chasing all three categories.
