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Cam Smith Cam Smith On bench for third straight game
Wed, Jul 22, 2026, 5:05 PM
Smith is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.
Analysis: Smith will wind up taking a seat for all three games of the series with Miami, though he made an impact off the bench in the opener Monday by walking in his lone plate appearance and claiming his 10th stolen base of the season. Taylor Trammell covered right field for the first two games against the Marlins, but LaMonte Wade will occupy the position in the finale. Smith could be part of a committee in right field while he's been in a prolonged slump at the plate. Dating back to July 4, Smith is slashing just .105/.186/.184 over a stretch of 13 contests. |
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Jose Altuve Jose Altuve Heading to bench Wednesday
Wed, Jul 22, 2026, 5:01 PM
Altuve is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Marlins.
Analysis: Altuve will head to the bench for the first time since June 28, ending a streak of 17 consecutive starts. Nick Allen will fill in for Altuve at the keystone in the series finale. |
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Shipped to Houston
Wed, Jul 22, 2026, 10:51 AM
The Astros acquired Martin from the Royals on Wednesday in exchange for Nate Pearson.
Analysis: Martin has logged a 2.01 ERA and 36:13 K:BB over 40.1 innings between Single-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities this season. The 22-year-old reliever was a 10th-round pick of the Royals in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft. |
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Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Homers again Tuesday
Wed, Jul 22, 2026, 7:49 AM
Pena went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Marlins.
Analysis: Pena led off the bottom of the first with a 405-foot blast off Tyler Phillips to give Houston an early 1-0 lead. It's the eighth homer of the season for Pena, who's now gone deep in back-to-back games. The shortstop has come out of the All-Star break hot, going 5-for-13 in four contests. Overall, Pena is slashing .293/.355/.452 with 40 runs scored, 27 RBI and eight steals across 231 plate appearances this season. |
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Isaac Paredes Isaac Paredes Powers offense to victory
Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 11:12 PM
Paredes went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in a 5-3 win against the Marlins on Tuesday.
Analysis: Paredes provided the bulk of Houston's scoring with a three-run shot to left field in the fifth inning. The blast snapped a 10-game homerless stretch for the third baseman, though he's otherwise been hitting quite well. Through 15 contests in July, Paredes is batting .310 (18-for-58), albeit with a modest five extra-base hits, six runs and eight RBI. |
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Josh Hader Josh Hader Posts 11th save
Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 10:45 PM
Hader notched a save against the Marlins on Tuesday, allowing one hit and striking out one batter in one scoreless inning.
Analysis: Hader unsurprisingly got the call in the ninth inning with Houston up two runs. He surrendered a ground-rule double to the first batter he faced but responded by retiring the next three hitters in order. Hader had uncharacteristically given up a run in two of his prior three outings entering Tuesday, so this was a strong bounce-back effort. He's a perfect 11-for-11 on save opportunities this season while registering a 1.47 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 29:8 K:BB through 18.1 innings spanning 20 appearances. |
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Tatsuya Imai Tatsuya Imai Solid in first start of second half
Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 10:40 PM
Imai (6-4) earned the win over Miami on Tuesday, allowing one run on four hits and three walks while striking out eight batters over six innings.
Analysis: Imai held the Marlins scoreless through four frames and ended up with just one run on his ledger. The Japanese righty recorded 15 whiffs en route to eight punchouts and posted his fifth quality start of the campaign. Perhaps the only concerning part of Imai's outing is that his control was shaky -- he threw just 56 of 96 pitches for strikes and tossed a first-pitch strike to only 11 of 25 hitters. Still, it was a promising opening to the second half for Imai, who struggled to a 6.06 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across 13 starts prior to the All-Star break. He'll look to build on Tuesday's outing his next time out, which lines up to be a road tilt against the Angels. |
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Yainer Diaz Yainer Diaz Taking seat Tuesday
Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 3:10 PM
Diaz is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the Marlins.
Analysis: Diaz started at catcher the last three games but will begin Tuesday's festivities on the bench. Christian Vazquez will take over behind the plate for Houston. |
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Cam Smith Cam Smith Out of lineup again Tuesday
Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 3:09 PM
Smith is not in the lineup for Tuesday's contest versus the Marlins.
Analysis: This marks Smith's second consecutive absence from the Astros' starting nine. Smith -- who is currently in a 1-for-28 slide at the plate -- will again yield right field to Taylor Trammell. |
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Christian Walker Christian Walker Returning to Houston lineup
Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 3:06 PM
Walker (hip) will start at first base and bat sixth in Tuesday's game versus the Marlins.
Analysis: Walker missed the last two starts with a right hip injury, but he was used in a pinch-hitting capacity Monday and is back in the lineup Tuesday. The 35-year-old is slashing just .171/.292/.317 so far in July. |
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Back in action for Tourists
Tue, Jul 21, 2026, 10:34 AM
High-A Asheville activated Frey (hamstring strain) from the 7-day injured list July 16, Geoff Pontes of Baseball America reports.
Analysis: He suffered the injury June 3 and began his rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League on July 3. Frey has been one of the bigger FYPD disappointments in dynasty leagues this year, as he has a 30.4 percent strikeout rate and 88 wRC+ in 50 games as a 22-year-old at High-A. Despite an underwhelming .153 ISO and six homers in 230 plate appearances, Frey has at least used his athleticism to add value on the bases, notching 15 steals on 19 attempts. |
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Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Launches grand slam Monday
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 11:13 PM
Pena went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Monday's 8-5 win over the Marlins.
Analysis: Pena's lone hit was a big one, as he uncorked a grand slam off Janson Junk as part of a six-run second inning. It was encouraging to see the shortstop back in the lineup Monday after he exited Saturday's game early and sat out Sunday's contest due to a right hamstring cramp. Multiple injuries have forced Pena to miss time this season, but he has been productive when available, slashing .294/.357/.441 with seven homers, 26 RBI, 38 runs and eight stolen bases across 54 contests. |
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Yordan Alvarez Yordan Alvarez Blasts two homers in win
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 11:06 PM
Alvarez went 3-for-4 with two solo home runs in Monday's 8-5 win over the Marlins.
Analysis: Alvarez demolished a solo homer to cap off a six-run second inning, then blasted another solo shot in the fifth frame. The slugger is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak, during which he has gone 13-for-25 (.520) with four homers, four doubles, eight RBI and five runs scored. With his two long balls Monday, the 29-year-old pulled even with Kyle Schwarber for the major-league lead with 33 home runs. It has been nothing short of a monster campaign for Alvarez in 2026, as he's slashing .324/.432/.651 with 53 extra-base hits, 75 RBI and 67 runs scored across 100 contests. |
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Ronel Blanco Ronel Blanco Strikes out eight in season debut
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 10:42 PM
Blanco did not factor into the decision Monday, allowing four runs on two hits and three walks across 4.2 innings in an 8-5 win over the Marlins. He struck out eight.
Analysis: Blanco's season debut was a mixed bag, as he generated 18 whiffs and recorded eight strikeouts while allowing just two hits, but both were two-run home runs. The 32-year-old departed after throwing 86 pitches (58 strikes). Blanco posted a 4.10 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 48:20 K:BB across 48.1 innings (nine starts) in 2025 before undergoing Tommy John surgery last June. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Sunday against the White Sox. |
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Cam Smith Cam Smith Receiving breather Monday
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 6:09 PM
Smith is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
Analysis: Smith will get the evening off after he went 0-for-13 with five strikeouts while starting in all three of the Astros' games against the Orioles over the weekend. Taylor Trammell will fill in for Smith in right field and will bat seventh. |
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Nick Allen Nick Allen Back in reserve role
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 6:07 PM
Allen is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
Analysis: Though he received the start at shortstop in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Orioles, Allen will be back on the bench for the series opener against the Marlins while Jeremy Pena (hamstring) checks back into the starting nine. Allen had a brief run as the Astros' primary shortstop when he returned from the injured list June 29, but Pena has taken back control of the position since being reinstated July 10 following an IL stint of his own. |
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Christian Walker Christian Walker On bench again Monday
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 6:04 PM
Walker (hip) is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
Analysis: Walker will take a seat for the second day in a row after he was removed from Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Orioles due to right hip tightness. LaMonte Wade will pick up the start at first base Monday in place of Walker, whom the Astros are viewing as day-to-day after he was able to take part in baseball activities Sunday. |
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Bennett Sousa Bennett Sousa Back in big-league bullpen
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 3:24 PM
The Astros activated Sousa (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Sousa has been sidelined since early May while dealing with left elbow inflammation, but he's been cleared to return after yielding just one unearned run in five rehab outings. The southpaw was a revelation out of the Houston bullpen in 2025, turning in a 2.84 ERA and 59:15 K:BB over 50.2 innings. |
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Ronel Blanco Ronel Blanco Activated ahead of Monday's start
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 3:19 PM
The Astros activated Blanco (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Blanco will start Monday's game versus the Marlins, marking his first time on a big-league mound since he underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace last June. The 32-year-old right-hander went 4.1 innings and threw 68 pitches in his final rehab outing, so he will be relatively limited from a workload perspective as he takes on Miami. |
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Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Back in starting nine Monday
Mon, Jul 20, 2026, 3:16 PM
Pena (hamstring) will start at shortstop and bat leadoff in Monday's game against the Marlins, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Pena will make his return to the starting nine after the Astros opted to keep him on the bench for Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Orioles while he managed a right hamstring cramp. Since coming off the injured list July 10 after he had been shelved with a calf strain, Pena has gone 5-for-17 (.294 average) with two walks, three runs and one RBI in five games. |
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