| News |
|---|
|
Cam Smith Cam Smith Hits first home run of season
Tue, Mar 31, 2026, 10:40 PM
Smith went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's 9-2 win over the Red Sox.
Analysis: Smith took Jovani Moran deep in the seventh inning for his first home run of the season. Smith entered play Tuesday with just two hits in 21 trips to the plate, but he's now reached base five times over the last two games and has drawn five walks in six games this season after walking just 8.7 percent of the time in 2025. Smith is competing for at-bats with Jake Meyers, Joey Loperfido and Brice Matthews in the Houston outfield, but the Astros want Smith to take hold of right field. |
|
Yordan Alvarez Yordan Alvarez Smacks third homer in win
Tue, Mar 31, 2026, 10:31 PM
Alvarez went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, two RBI, two runs scored and a walk in Tuesday's 9-2 win over the Red Sox.
Analysis: Alvarez has now homered in back-to-back games after taking Brayan Bello deep in the fifth inning. He previously drove home Jeremy Pena with an RBI double in the first inning against Bello. Coming off an injury-plagued 2025 season, Alvarez looks back to his normal self in the early going this season, slashing .381/.536/.905 with three home runs, six RBI, six runs scored and a 6:4 BB:K across 28 plate appearances. |
|
Hunter Brown Hunter Brown Strikes out eight in win Tuesday
Tue, Mar 31, 2026, 10:24 PM
Brown (1-0) earned the win against the Red Sox on Tuesday, allowing one run on one hit and two walks while striking out eight across six innings.
Analysis: After throwing 102 pitches across 4.2 innings Thursday against the Angels, Brown made quick work of the Boston lineup Tuesday and was pulled after 78 pitches with a 6-1 lead. Brown looks like he's ready to take another step forward in his fourth full season at the big-league level. Through two starts and 10.2 innings, Brown has 17 strikeouts and a 0.84 ERA. Brown is next scheduled to take the mound Monday against the Rockies at Coors Field. |
|
Isaac Paredes Isaac Paredes Out of Tuesday's lineup
Tue, Mar 31, 2026, 3:07 PM
Paredes is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.
Analysis: Paredes started the first five games of the season across three different positions, and he'll hit the bench Tuesday after going 4-for-19 with two walks, three doubles, four RBI and three runs scored. Yordan Alvarez will serve as the designated hitter while Joey Loperfido receives a start in left field. |
|
Ryan Weiss Ryan Weiss Working out of bullpen
Tue, Mar 31, 2026, 9:32 AM
Weiss delivered two hitless innings in relief in Monday's win over the Red Sox, striking out three while walking one.
Analysis: Weiss failed to crack Houston's rotation out of spring training, though he did make the team as a bullpen option. The right-hander looked sharp Monday, as he set down six straight Red Sox after issuing a leadoff walk in the eighth. It was an encouraging performance for Weiss, after he gave up a home run to Zach Neto in his major league debut Friday. While Weiss could work his way into the high-leverage picture, he's more likely to serve as a swingman or long-relief option this year. |
|
Brice Matthews Brice Matthews Launches first homer
Tue, Mar 31, 2026, 9:25 AM
Matthews went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 8-1 win over the Red Sox.
Analysis: Matthews extended Houston's lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning with a 434-foot blast off Ranger Suarez, his first homer of the year. The right-handed hitting Matthews has been platooning with Joey Loperfido to open the year, starting in three of the Astros' first five contests. He's now 2-for-9 with six strikeouts and no walks. |
|
Christian Roa Christian Roa Sent to Triple-A
Mon, Mar 30, 2026, 2:57 PM
The Astros optioned Roa to Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Houston is replacing Roa in the bullpen with Cody Bolton, who had his contract selected from Sugar Land in a corresponding move. Roa pitched in two games out of the Astros' bullpen in the opening series against the Angels and allowed one run on one hit and two walks across 1.1 innings. He struck out a pair. |
|
Hayden Wesneski Hayden Wesneski Moves to 60-day IL
Mon, Mar 30, 2026, 2:51 PM
The Astros transferred Wesneski (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Monday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: The Astros needed the spot on the 40-man roster for reliever Cody Bolton, who had his contract selected from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. Wesneski is still working his way back from last May's Tommy John surgery. |
|
Cody Bolton Cody Bolton Headed to majors
Mon, Mar 30, 2026, 2:49 PM
The Astros selected Bolton's contract from Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: To make room on the 40-man roster for Bolton, the Astros shifted Hayden Wesneski (elbow) to the 60-day injured list. Bolton has 34 games of major-league experience, all out of the bullpen, and has a career 5.79 ERA, 1.81 WHIP and 40:24 K:BB across 42 innings. |
|
Enyel De Los Santos Enyel De Los Santos Breezes through two rehab outings
Mon, Mar 30, 2026, 9:36 AM
De Los Santos (knee) has tossed 2.1 scoreless innings while striking out one and allowing no hits or walks in two appearances for Triple-A Sugar Land since starting a rehab assignment Friday.
Analysis: Through two appearances, the only blemish on De Los Santos' ledger has been a hit batsman, which came during his most recent outing Sunday. The right-hander opened the season on the shelf after he was out for most of spring training while recovering from a right knee strain, but he looks like he could soon be ready to rejoin the Houston bullpen. De Los Santos will be eligible for reinstatement from the injured list next week. |
|
Yordan Alvarez Yordan Alvarez Hot start to campaign
Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 8:46 PM
Alvarez went 1-for-2 with three walks, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Sunday's 9-7 win over the Angels.
Analysis: Alvarez is off to a nice start this season, going 4-for-13 with a home run and five walks through his first four games. Health will be key for the slugger in 2026, as he alternates between DH and left field. Alvarez was limited to 48 games last year, where he batted .273 with just six homers, 27 RBI and a .797 OPS across 199 plate appearances. |
|
Isaac Paredes Isaac Paredes Drives in two runs Sunday
Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 8:42 PM
Paredes went 2-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored during the Astros' 9-7 win over the Angels on Sunday.
Analysis: Paredes gave the Astros an 8-6 lead with an two-run double in the eighth inning, which ended up being the winning runs for Houston. He went 0-for-7 with three strikeouts over the first two games of the series, but he turned things around over the final two contests, going 3-for-9 with on walk, four RBI and three runs scored. Paredes is looking to improve off his 2025 campaign, when he slashed .254/.352/.458 with 20 home runs and 53 RBI across 438 plate appearances. |
|
Bryan King Bryan King Earns save Sunday
Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 8:38 PM
King earned the save in Sunday's 9-7 win over the Angels, allowing a hit and striking out two in two-thirds of an inning.
Analysis: After Bryan Abreu issued a pair of walks to start the ninth, the Astros turned to King to record the final two outs. The left-hander would give up an RBI single to Nolan Schanuel before rebounding to strike out Jorge Soler and Yoan Moncada, logging his first save this season. While Abreu will likely remain Houston's primary ninth-inning option while Josh Hader (biceps) is sidelined, King could see more save chances in the short term, depending on matchups. King posted a 2.05 ERA with a 0.85 WHIP and 76:16 K:BB across 52.2 innings in 2025. |
|
Bryan Abreu Bryan Abreu Struggling early in 2026
Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 8:35 PM
Abreu allowed one run on two walks in one-third of an inning during the Astros' 9-7 win over the Angels on Sunday.
Analysis: Abreu was brought in for the top of the ninth inning to protect the Astros' three-run lead. However, he walked two of the three batters he faced and was replaced by Bryan King, and the former was tagged with a run on an RBI single from Nolan Schanuel. Abreu has yielded four earned runs on four walks and one hit across 1.1 innings to open the season, which isn't a great sign given that he was tabbed as the Astros' interim closer in the absence of Josh Hader (biceps). King could be thrust into closing situations if Abreu's early struggles continue. |
|
Tatsuya Imai Tatsuya Imai Struggles in MLB debut
Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 8:26 PM
Imai did not factor into the decision in the Astros' 9-7 win over the Angels on Sunday. He allowed four runs on three hits and four walks while striking out four across 2.2 innings.
Analysis: Imai looked poised over the first two innings of his MLB debut, striking out four of the first eight batters he faced. However, things unravelled in the third, when he ran up his pitch count and yielded four runs in the frame before being pulled. Imai struggled with his control, with only 36 of his 74 pitches resulting in strikes (48.6 percent). It might take some time for him to adjust to his new surroundings after spending nine years with the Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, but the expectations will still be high given the three-year, $54 million contract that he signed with Houston during the offseason. Imai will look for a better result in his next start, which is tentatively slated for next weekend on the road against the Athletics. |
|
Yainer Diaz Yainer Diaz Getting breather Sunday
Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 12:34 PM
Diaz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Diaz will get a break Sunday after starting the first three games of the season. He's yet to get his bat going, having gone 2-for-12 with a walk, two RBI, a run and five strikeouts. Christian Vazquez is starting behind the plate in the series finale, batting ninth. |
|
Jake Meyers Jake Meyers Taking seat Sunday
Sun, Mar 29, 2026, 12:31 PM
Meyers is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Meyers has gone 2-for-8 with a walk, a double, a stolen base, two RBI and two runs through two contests but will sit for the second time in Houston's first four games of the season. Joey Loperfido will shift to center field Sunday while Yordan Alvarez picks up a start in the outfield. |
|
Jake Meyers Jake Meyers Busy performance in win
Sat, Mar 28, 2026, 10:51 PM
Meyers went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base in Saturday's 11-9 win over the Angels.
Analysis: Meyers did a little bit of everything Saturday, showing off both power and speed with his first extra-base hit and steal of the year. The 29-year-old has close to an everyday role in center field in store for 2026, but the right-handed-hitting Meyers hasn't turned in an OPS higher than .727 in any of his prior four seasons and may struggle for consistent fantasy value. |
|
Cristian Javier Cristian Javier Ineffective in no-decision
Sat, Mar 28, 2026, 10:24 PM
Javier took a no-decision Saturday against the Angels, allowing six runs on four hits and four walks in 4.2 innings. He struck out one.
Analysis: The right-hander's command was spotty at best in his season debut, as he tossed 41 of his 74 pitches for strikes and also served up a pair of home runs. Javier had a delayed start to last year due to Tommy John surgery recovery, and it appears initially in 2026 that he still has some more rust to knock off after posting a 4.62 ERA through eight regular-season starts in 2025. Javier might be tough to trust in fantasy lineups in his next scheduled matchup at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park versus the Athletics. |
|
Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Not starting Saturday
Sat, Mar 28, 2026, 2:02 PM
Pena is not in the Astros' starting lineup against the Angels on Saturday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Pena will take a seat after going 2-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base in Friday's 6-2 loss to the Angels. Carlos Correa will shift over to shortstop while Isaac Paredes gets the start at third base Saturday. |
Connect With Us:
