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Spencer Arrighetti Spencer Arrighetti Nearing throwing program
Mon, Jul 27, 2026, 6:46 PM
Arrighetti (foot) received an injection Monday and could be cleared to start a throwing program within the next few days, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Arrighetti was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday after being diagnosed with right foot nerve irritation. A timeline for his return to the bump remains up in the air, and while it's promising news that he could gain clearance to throw later in the week, it will ultimately depend on how his foot responds to the injection. |
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Cam Smith Cam Smith Taking seat Monday
Mon, Jul 27, 2026, 5:53 PM
Smith is not in the Astros' starting lineup against the Angels on Monday.
Analysis: Smith will be on the bench for the beginning of Monday's game after going 1-for-10 with a two-run home run during the Astros' three-game weekend road series against the White Sox. Houston will start Taylor Trammell, Lucas Spence and LaMonte Wade in the outfield from left to right. |
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Yainer Diaz Yainer Diaz Idle Monday
Mon, Jul 27, 2026, 5:51 PM
Diaz is not in the Astros' starting lineup against the Angels on Monday.
Analysis: Diaz will grab a seat for Monday's series opener while Christian Vasquez starts behind home plate and bats ninth while forming a battery with right-hander Tatsuya Imai. Diaz has gone 3-for-24 with two runs and five strikeouts over six games since the All-Star break. |
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Taylor Trammell Taylor Trammell Homers Sunday
Mon, Jul 27, 2026, 6:45 AM
Trammell went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 12-3 loss to the White Sox.
Analysis: Making his first start in four games, Trammell tied things up at 3-3 with a 426-foot blast of Erick Fedde in the fourth inning, his fourth homer of the season. Lucas Spence had seen the majority of time in center field after Brice Matthews (knee) landed on the IL last week, though Trammell could be in line for more playing time as the rookie Spence has gone just 2-for-21 in his last six games. Overall, Trammell is slashing .238/.299/.389 with 13 RBI, 16 runs scored and three stolen bases across 138 plate appearances this season. |
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Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Homers twice in loss
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 8:57 PM
Pena went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs in Sunday's 12-3 loss against the White Sox.
Analysis: Pena wasted no time making an impact, leading off the game with a solo homer against Erick Fedde before taking the right-hander deep again in the third inning. The shortstop has caught fire of late, homering five times over his last six games after hitting just six long balls through his first 53 contests of the season. During that six-game stretch, Pena is batting 13-for-26 (.500) with eight RBI. For the season, he's slashing .319/.373/.504 with nine doubles, 11 home runs, 30 RBI, 47 runs scored and eight stolen bases across 249 plate appearances. |
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Ronel Blanco Ronel Blanco Takes first loss Sunday
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 8:46 PM
Blanco (0-1) took the loss Sunday against the White Sox, allowing five runs on four hits and three walks while striking out four over 5.1 innings.
Analysis: Blanco was hurt by the long ball Sunday as he threw 55 of his 85 pitches for strikes. After walking the leadoff hitter in the first inning, he surrendered a two-run homer to Munetaka Murakami. Miguel Vargas took him deep for another two-run shot in the sixth. Both of Blanco's starts since returning to Houston have featured multiple home runs allowed and three walks, though he has also piled up 12 strikeouts across 10 innings. The right-hander is scheduled to make his next start Saturday on the road against the Rangers. |
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Overcomes hamstring injury
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 4:46 PM
Janek (hamstring) has slashed .368/.400/.737 with two home runs, three stolen bases, four RBI and four runs in five games for Double-A Corpus Christi since being reinstated from the 7-day injured list July 16.
Analysis: Janek was on the shelf for about a month and a half due to the hamstring injury before being cleared to rejoin Corpus Christi coming out of the All-Star break. The 23-year-old backstop has produced a .183/.224/.323 slash line over 24 games at Double-A this season. |
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Facing long-term absence
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 4:38 PM
Double-A Corpus Christi transferred Brutcher from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday while he recovers from an unspecified injury.
Analysis: An undrafted free agent out of South Florida who signed with the Astros in March 2025, Brutcher had been enjoying a breakout season in the lower levels of the minors. The 24-year-old first baseman posted a .304/.421/.478 slash line with seven home runs and 10 stolen bases across 62 games between High-A Asheville and Corpus Christi before hitting the shelf July 13. His injury looks like it could bring an early end to his 2026 season. |
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Kai-Wei Teng Kai-Wei Teng Jettisoned to Triple-A
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 2:40 PM
The Astros optioned Teng to Triple-A Sugar Land on Sunday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Teng was activated from the injured list in mid-July after missing a few weeks due to a knee sprain, but Houston elected to demote him after just two appearances, during which he gave up two runs on three hits with a 4:2 K:BB and four hit batsmen across 4.1 innings. The right-hander pitched to a 2.19 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 through his first 17 outings of the year, but he has a 6.89 ERA across his past eight appearances (31.1 innings). |
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Miguel Ullola Miguel Ullola Moves up to big club
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 2:28 PM
The Astros recalled Ullola from Triple-A Sugar Land prior to Sunday's game against the White Sox.
Analysis: Houston demoted Kai-Wei Teng to clear a spot on the 26-man active roster and in the bullpen for Ullola, who will join the big club for the second time this season after striking out seven over four scoreless innings in two appearances during his first stint in the majors. Ullola had earned his way back to Houston after striking out nine over 5.1 perfect innings in his last six relief outings at Sugar Land. |
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Lucas Spence Lucas Spence Hitting bench Sunday
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 1:08 PM
Spence is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox.
Analysis: Spence will take a seat for the first time since being called up from Triple-A Sugar Land on July 17, paving the way for Taylor Trammell to pick up a start in center field. Over his first eight big-league games, Spence has gone 5-for-28 (.179 average) with a 2:11 BB:K, one RBI and two runs. |
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Christian Walker Christian Walker On bench Sunday
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 1:03 PM
Walker is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Walker started the past four games after missing two contests due to a hip issue, going 3-for-15 with a walk, a double, three RBI and seven strikeouts since returning to action. LaMonte Wade is starting at first base Sunday, which opens up left field for Zach Dezenzo. |
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Hayden Wesneski Hayden Wesneski Nearing return from 60-day IL
Sun, Jul 26, 2026, 8:30 AM
Wesneski (elbow) struck out seven and allowed one unearned run on two hits and two walks across 4.1 innings in a rehab start Friday with Triple-A Sugar Land.
Analysis: Wesneski has been on the shelf all season while completing his recovery from May 2025 Tommy John surgery, but he's closing in on his 2026 big-league debut. He's made five starts during his rehab assignment, with the right-hander having compiled a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 21:4 K:BB in 20 innings across stops with Sugar Land, Double-A Corpus Christi and the rookie-level Florida Complex League. After building up to 80 pitches and generating 12 whiffs in Friday's outing, Wesneski should be fully stretched out for a starting role and could be a candidate to move into the big-league rotation, which has an opening after Spencer Arrighetti (foot) was moved to the injured list Saturday. The Astros will need to add a new starter to the mix Wednesday in Anaheim, though it's unclear if Wesneski would be activated from the 60-day injured list to pitch on four days' rest, after he received at least five days of rest between each of his rehab appearances. |
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Josh Hader Josh Hader Collects save No. 12
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 9:38 PM
Hader earned a save against the White Sox on Saturday by striking out both batters he faced in the ninth inning.
Analysis: Houston entered the bottom of the ninth with a 4-0 lead and Bennett Sousa on the mound. However, Sousa gave up a run on a pair of one-out singles and an error, at which point Hader was summoned from the bullpen. The veteran closer made sure that Chicago didn't come any closer by striking out both batters he faced on a combined 10 pitches. Hader continues to roll as one of the league's top closers -- he's 12-for-12 in save chances on the campaign while posting a 1.35 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 33:8 K:BB over 20 innings spanning 22 appearances. |
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Hunter Brown Hunter Brown Returns to form Saturday
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 9:31 PM
Brown (2-1) earned the win over the White Sox on Saturday, pitching seven scoreless innings during which he allowed two hits and struck out seven batters without issuing any walks.
Analysis: Brown struggled mightily across his first three starts in July, posting a 7.98 ERA and 1.91 WHIP with a startling 11:15 K:BB over 14.2 innings. He turned things around dramatically against Chicago on Saturday, completing seven frames for the first time in 2026 while collecting a season-high seven punchouts with a whopping 20 whiffs. Brown allowed just two baserunners (on a pair of singles) and retired the final 12 batters he faced in the dominant outing. His performance -- especially the lack of walks -- was promising both for the Astros and his fantasy managers, and Brown will look to build on the effort in his next start, which is lined up to come at home versus Texas. |
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Bryan King Bryan King Back with big club
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 2:45 PM
The Astros recalled King from Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Julia Morales of Space City Home Network reports.
Analysis: King was sent down to Triple-A after giving up eight earned runs over his last four outings (spanning five innings). Prior to that four-game stretch, he boasted a 2.02 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 12 holds, six saves (on nine chances) and a 31:14 K:BB across 40 innings. Despite his recent struggles, King is back with the big club after the Astros placed Spencer Arrighetti (foot) on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move. |
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Spencer Arrighetti Spencer Arrighetti Lands on 15-day IL
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 2:43 PM
The Astros placed Arrighetti on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to right foot nerve irritation, Julia Morales of Space City Home Network reports.
Analysis: The injury surfaced during Arrighetti's start against the White Sox on Friday, which forced him to leave after allowing three runs on two hits and two walks while hitting two batters in one inning. He'll be sidelined until at least mid-August, but his recovery timeline should become more clear once he's cleared to resume baseball activities. Bryan King was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. |
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Kai-Wei Teng Kai-Wei Teng Earns win in relief Friday
Sat, Jul 25, 2026, 8:49 AM
Weng (5-6) earned the win in relief Friday against the White Sox after allowing two runs on two hits and a walk across two innings. He struck out one.
Analysis: Teng pitched the fourth and fifth innings, as the Astros had to come up with a plan on the spot after Spencer Arrighetti (foot) was taken out of the game following the first inning. Teng has made 10 starts and 15 relief appearances this season, and he could be a candidate to rejoin the rotation if Arrighetti is forced to miss time. |
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Spencer Arrighetti Spencer Arrighetti Dealing with foot injury
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 8:31 PM
Arrighetti was pulled from his start Friday against the White Sox due to right foot nerve irritation.
Analysis: Arrighetti gave up two hits and two walks and hit two batters while surrendering three runs in the first inning. He then felt discomfort on the mound while warming up for the second and left the game with a trainer. Arrighetti is lined up to take the mound again Wednesday against the Angels, though it remains unclear whether he'll be ready to go by then. |
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Spencer Arrighetti Spencer Arrighetti Exits with trainer
Fri, Jul 24, 2026, 7:18 PM
Arrighetti was removed from Friday's game against the White Sox with an apparent injury, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Arrighetti gave up three runs during the first inning and was taken out of the game by a trainer after throwing a few warm-up pitches ahead of the second frame. It's unknown what exactly he's dealing with, but the Astros should provide an update on his status in the near future. |
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