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Peter Lambert Peter Lambert Falls to Baltimore in opener
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 9:38 PM
Lambert (1-2) took the loss in the opening game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks over 4.1 innings. He struck out three.
Analysis: It was a decent effort overall from Lambert, who held Baltimore scoreless for three frames before giving up a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings. Since sliding into the Astros rotation, Lambert has posted a solid 3.52 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP and 19:7 K:BB in three starts (15.1 innings). The right-hander is currently scheduled for a tough home matchup with the Dodgers in his next outing. |
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Yordan Alvarez Yordan Alvarez Smacks 12th homer
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 9:19 PM
Alvarez went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and three total runs scored in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles.
Analysis: Alvarez extended Houston's lead to 6-0 in the second inning of Thursday's nightcap with a 424-foot blast off Brandon Young, his 12th homer of the year, tying Aaron Judge and Munetaka Murakami for the league lead. It was another huge effort from Alvarez after he went 0-for-4 in the opening game of the doubleheader, ending a 13-game hitting streak. The 28-year-old slugger is now slashing an eye-popping .356/.462/.737 through his first 143 plate appearances this season with 27 RBI and 25 runs scored. |
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Lance McCullers Jr. Lance McCullers Jr. Grabs win in nightcap
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 9:05 PM
McCullers (2-2) earned the win Thursday in the second game of a doubleheader with the Orioles, allowing three runs on two hits and four walks over six innings. He struck out nine.
Analysis: After allowing 17 runs (15 earned) across just 14.1 innings in his last three starts, McCullers rebounded with an impressive performance against the Orioles, matching his season high with nine strikeouts. McCullers' ERA now sits at 6.32 with a 1.40 WHIP and 33:17 K:BB across six starts (31.1 innings) this season. He'll look to build on Thursday's performance in his next outing, tentatively scheduled as a tough home matchup next week against the Dodgers. |
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Tatsuya Imai Tatsuya Imai Expected to log another rehab start
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 6:18 PM
Imai (arm) will make another start during his minor-league rehab assignment in the coming week, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Imai tossed two innings, allowing five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out two batters during his first rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday. Manager Joe Espada announced Thursday that the right-hander will make another start while on his rehab assignment, though it's currently unclear at what level his next outing will come. Imai has been sidelined since April 13 while recovering from right arm fatigue, and the additional time away may have allowed him to better adjust to life in the United States, which was something else he was reportedly struggling with, per Jack Baer of Yahoo Sports. |
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Carlos Correa Carlos Correa Out of Game 2 lineup
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 2:48 PM
Correa isn't in the lineup for the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Correa went 1-for-5 with a strikeout during a loss in the early game Thursday, and he'll stay put in the dugout to begin the nightcap. His absence will allow Braden Shewmake to pick up a start at shortstop while batting ninth. |
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Jose Altuve Jose Altuve Resting during Game 2
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 2:44 PM
Altuve isn't in the lineup for the second game of Thursday's doubleheader against Baltimore, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: After going 1-for-3 with a walk and scoring a run during Game 1, Altuve will catch a breather during the nightcap while Brice Matthews starts at the keystone. Daniel Johnson will fill the resulting void in center field and bat eighth. |
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Cam Smith Cam Smith Not in lineup for early game
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 9:31 AM
Smith is absent from the lineup for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader versus the Orioles, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Dustin Harris will patrol right field for the Astros in the first game of the twin bill. Smith will likely be back at the position for Thursday's night game. |
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Jason Alexander Jason Alexander Up as 27th man for doubleheader
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 8:29 AM
The Astros recalled Alexander from Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday.
Analysis: Alexander will serve as the 27th man during Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles. The right-hander has collected a 4.97 ERA and 20:10 K:BB over 29 innings covering six starts with Sugar Land this season. He will give the bullpen length Thursday before likely returning to the minors after the twin bill. |
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Cody Bolton Cody Bolton Back on active roster
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 8:25 AM
The Astros activated Bolton (back) from the 15-day injured list Thursday.
Analysis: Bolton had been on the shelf since mid-April with mid-back inflammation, but he was cleared to join the big club ahead of Thursday's doubleheader with the Orioles after making a two-inning rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land over the weekend. Though he had made starts in his last two appearances with Houston prior to landing on the IL, Bolton will likely slot into the bullpen for the time being and operate as a multi-inning option. |
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Ryan Weiss Ryan Weiss Goes on paternity leave
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 8:23 AM
The Astros placed Weiss on the paternity list Thursday.
Analysis: Weiss will be away from the team for 1-to-3 days while welcoming a new addition to the family. Cody Bolton (back) has been activated from the injured list and will replace Weiss on the active roster. |
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Cody Bolton Cody Bolton Could be activated Thursday
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 1:40 PM
The Astros could activate Bolton (back) from the 15-day injured list to serve as their 27th man for Thursday's doubleheader versus the Orioles, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Bolton had made three appearances (two starts) and pitched to a 5.40 ERA and 1.68 WHIP over 8.1 innings before landing on the shelf April 15 due to mid-back inflammation. The right-hander appears to be tracking toward a brief stay on the IL, as he was able to make a two-inning rehab appearance for Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday. While Houston still has six other starting pitchers on its IL, Bolton may be ticketed for the bullpen once activated with the Astros having received strong results from Spencer Arrighetti and Peter Lambert since those two pitchers entered the rotation. |
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Peter Lambert Peter Lambert Astros-Orioles postponed
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 1:36 PM
Lambert and the Astros won't play the Orioles on Wednesday after the game was postponed due to inclement weather in Baltimore.
Analysis: The two teams will make up the postponed game as part of a traditional doubleheader Thursday. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Lambert will start the first game of the twin bill, while Lance McCullers starts the second game. Through his first two starts with the Astros since being called up from Triple-A Sugar Land earlier this month, Lambert has gone 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 16:4 K:BB in 11 innings. |
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Tatsuya Imai Tatsuya Imai Struggles in first rehab start
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 8:40 AM
Imai (arm) was charged with five runs on six hits and three walks over two innings in his first rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday.
Analysis: It's not the bottom-line result the Astros were looking for from Imai, who threw 59 pitches over his two innings of work. The Japanese right-hander will require at least one more rehab outing as he continues to ramp back up. Imai has been sidelined for more than two weeks with fatigue in his pitching arm. |
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Brice Matthews Brice Matthews Pops second homer
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 8:13 AM
Matthews went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and two RBI in Tuesday's 5-3 loss to the Orioles.
Analysis: Getting another start in center field and batting ninth, Matthews launched a solo homer off Shane Baz in the fifth inning to get Houston on the board, and give the converted second baseman his second long ball of 2026. The performance snapped an 0-for-10 skid for the 24-year-old, but since becoming a regular member of an injury-thinned outfield back on April 20, Matthews is batting .300 (6-for-20) with three doubles, a homer, a steal, three runs and four RBI. |
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Kai-Wei Teng Kai-Wei Teng Tagged with loss Tuesday
Wed, Apr 29, 2026, 8:09 AM
Teng (1-2) took the loss Tuesday as the Astros fell 5-3 to the Orioles, giving up two runs on five hits over three innings. He struck out two.
Analysis: Kicking off a bullpen day for Houston, Teng lasted a season-high 42 pitches (30 strikes) before being lifted, with Ryan Weiss piggybacking him for another 3.2 frames. Teng has provided useful innings so far on a patchwork staff, posting a 2.75 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 18:6 K:BB over 19.2 innings in 12 appearances (one start), but his current role doesn't carry a lot of fantasy utility -- the 27-year-old right-hander has one win and one hold in that span. If the Teng/Weiss tandem takes another turn in the rotation, it lines up to come on the road this weekend in Boston. If the Astros look to Triple-A Sugar Land instead for a starter, Miguel Ullola would be on turn and threw 5.1 innings Tuesday, albeit with a 5:4 K:BB. |
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Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Taking live batting practice
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 4:14 PM
Pena (hamstring) began taking at-bats in live batting practice Tuesday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Pena was cleared to begin running last week, and he appears to be making strides in his recovery from a right hamstring strain now that he's received the green light to face live pitching. Manager Joe Espada added that the 28-year-old infielder is close to beginning a rehab assignment in the minor leagues, though he remains without a firm return timeline. |
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Kai-Wei Teng Kai-Wei Teng Will be used as opener
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 3:40 PM
Teng is slated to serve as an opening pitcher in Tuesday's game in Baltimore, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Teng has recorded more than three outs in seven of 11 relief outings this season, so he could cover more than one inning Tuesday. However, he's not stretched out enough to make a typical start, so Houston will be treating Tuesday's contest as a bullpen day. Ryan Weiss is a candidate to cover multiple innings in relief once Teng exits the game. |
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Activated from 7-day IL
Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 11:14 PM
Pecko (thoracic outlet syndrome) was activated from the 7-day injured list Friday.
Analysis: Pecko made three rehab appearances in April while working his way back from thoracic outlet syndrome. He posted a sparkling 1.13 ERA with 15 strikeouts over eight innings during this stretch. Pecko made his first appearance at Triple-A Sugar Land over the weekend, working three scoreless frames while striking out six and walking one. |
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Ryan Weiss Ryan Weiss Looks set to return to bullpen
Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 10:56 AM
Weiss appears in line to move to the Houston bullpen after Kai-Wei Teng was named the team's starter for Tuesday's game in Baltimore, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Weiss was ineffective in two starts after entering the Astros rotation, allowing a total of four runs on eight hits and eight walks over seven innings. Teng isn't fully stretched out to handle a typical starter's workload, so Weiss could be needed in long relief Tuesday. Weiss has collected a 6.50 ERA, 2.17 WHIP and 22:14 K:BB over 18 innings covering two starts and five relief outings this season. |
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Kai-Wei Teng Kai-Wei Teng Tapped for start Tuesday
Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 10:45 AM
Teng has been named the Astros' starting pitcher for Tuesday's game in Baltimore, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Tuesday had been Ryan Weiss' turn in the rotation, but Weiss appears headed back to the bullpen. Teng has pitched well as a multi-inning reliever this season, collecting a 2.16 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 16:6 K:BB across 16.2 frames. The right-hander made seven starts last season for the Giants and was deployed mostly as a starting pitcher in the minors, so he shouldn't require a lengthy period of time to get fully stretched out. However, with Tatsuya Imai (arm) poised to return from the injured list, Teng's stint in the rotation could be brief. |
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