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Cam Smith Cam Smith Not in lineup for first 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.
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 has been out since mid-April with mid-back inflammation. He will skip a rehab assignment and is ticketed for the Astros' bullpen, though he could make some starts later on if a need arises. |
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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 for 1-to-3 days while welcoming a new addition to the family. Cody Bolton (back) has returned from the injured list to grab Weiss' roster spot. |
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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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Isaac Paredes Isaac Paredes Continues to heat up with homer
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 10:14 PM
Paredes went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Yankees.
Analysis: Paredes crossed the plate a season-high three times, also tallying a season-most three RBI. As long as the infielder continues to occupy a premium spot in Houston's lineup -- he's hit third in three straight games -- Paredes should continue to carry plenty of RBI upside. He's gone 9-for-27 (.333) with three homers and eight RBI over his past seven outings to raise his OPS to .711 for the year. |
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Christian Walker Christian Walker Stays hot with homer, double
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 5:57 PM
Walker went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and four RBI in Sunday's 7-4 win over the Yankees.
Analysis: Walker extended his hitting streak to four games Sunday and also went deep in his second consecutive contest. The veteran first baseman is off to a strong start at the plate in 2026, batting .291 with seven homers, eight doubles, 23 RBI and 13 walks across 103 at-bats. Walker is already up to four three-hit efforts on the campaign as well. |
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Spencer Arrighetti Spencer Arrighetti Strikes out eight in gem
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 5:45 PM
Arrighetti (3-0) notched the win Sunday against the Yankees, allowing one run on three hits and one walk in seven innings. He struck out eight.
Analysis: The right-hander did serve up a pair of extra-base hits, including a sixth-inning home run to Aaron Judge, but he was excellent otherwise Sunday in what was his longest appearance of the campaign thus far. Arrighetti has now begun his season with three straight starts of at least five innings, giving up two runs or fewer in each outing. He's set to bring a strong 2.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 21:9 K:BB over 18 frames into his next start versus the Red Sox. |
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Tatsuya Imai Tatsuya Imai Will begin rehab stint Tuesday
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 11:35 AM
Imai (arm) is slated to begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Imai landed on the IL due to right arm fatigue April 13. Imaging came back clean, and the Japanese hurler has been building up his workload since, which included him tossing 45 pitches in a bullpen session Friday. Imai will now progress to game action with Corpus Christi and appears to be on track to rejoin the Astros in the first half of May. |
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Yainer Diaz Yainer Diaz Not starting Sunday
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 10:36 AM
Diaz isn't in the Astros' lineup Sunday against the Yankees, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: He'll begin on the bench with Christian Vazquez doing the catching. Diaz is in the midst of a five-game hitting streak, during which he's gone 6-for-20 with a home run, two doubles and three RBI. |
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Jose Altuve Jose Altuve Getting breather Sunday
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 10:33 AM
Altuve is out of the starting lineup Sunday versus the Yankees, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Altuve started the previous nine contests, but the veteran second baseman had just two hits over his past 20 at-bats, so he'll get a chance to recharge. Braden Shewmake is starting at second base for Houston in Altuve's stead Sunday. |
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