The Houston Astros closed out their season-opening series against the Los Angeles Angels with a win, gaining momentum early in the season.
Here is a look at the starting lineup for their final game against the Angels:
DH Jose Altuve
LF Yordan Alvarez
2B Isaac Paredes
SS Jeremy Peña
1B Christian Walker
3B Carlos Correa
RF Cam Smith
C Yainer Díaz
CF Jake Meyers
LF Joey Leopard
RHP Tatsuya Imai
Tatsuya Imai made his Major League debut for the Astros in a 9–7 victory over the Angels on March 29, 2026. He pitched 2 2/3 innings before being pulled, allowing four earned runs on three hits while walking four and striking out four batters. Imai threw 74 pitches, 36 for strikes, and despite a strong start, he gave up a four-run lead during his outing. His debut included his first career strikeout, recorded against Mike Trout, and he also struck out Jorge Soler in the first inning, followed by back-to-back strikeouts of Josh Lowe and Travis d’Arnaud to end the second inning.
Offensively, the Astros got timely contributions from their veterans. Isaac Paredes drove in two runs to put Houston ahead, while Jose Altuve added a two-run single to extend the lead.
With the win, the Astros ended their season-opening series with a 2–2 split. They now turn their attention to the Boston Red Sox as they continue their seven-game homestand, looking to build on the momentum from Sunday’s victory.