The Houston Astros are trying to jump-start the offense in the middle game of their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, and Saturday’s lineup reflects that urgency.
Peter Lambert gets the ball for Houston, bringing an 8-8 record and a 3.67 ERA into what has been his best big league season. The run prevention has slipped lately, though.
Lambert has allowed at least two runs in nine straight starts, with his ERA climbing from 3.03 to 3.67 during that stretch. In his last outing, he worked 7.0 innings and gave up three runs.
Across the diamond, Ian Seymour will start for Tampa Bay. He owns a 9-6 record with a 4.33 ERA and spent much of the season working out of the bullpen before settling in as a starter about two months ago, with a few long relief appearances mixed in. His most recent outing lasted three innings and ended with four runs allowed, three earned.
Houston’s batting order brings Jeremy Pena back to the leadoff spot after he hit second on Friday. Pena is riding a four-game hitting streak, but September has been a rougher month overall: he’s batting .167 with a .419 OPS in 10 games, and he’s already struck out 14 times.
Isaac Paredes slides into the two-hole in the spot usually held by Yordan Alvarez, who remains out for the second straight game. Paredes has reached base in 18 straight games, posting a .258 average and a .397 on-base percentage during that run. His OPS in that stretch is .849, and he’s been even more productive in September with a .960 OPS and nine RBI in 10 games.
Jose Altuve hits fourth for Houston, and his season has picked up since the beginning of August. Over that span, he’s hit .285 with a .771 OPS. Altuve also recently became the second Astro to reach 2500 hits, and he now stands at 2503.
Yainer Diaz continues to swing a hot bat. He’s hitting .367 with a .920 OPS since the start of September, and he’ll bat fourth while serving as the designated hitter. Diaz has collected a hit in each of his last six starts for the Astros.
Daulton Varsho bats fifth, even though his numbers in Houston have been modest. He’s hitting .189 with a .579 OPS since joining the Astros, though he has been much better on the roadtrip, posting a .294 average and an .824 OPS.
Christian Walker follows in the sixth spot after going 0-for-4 on Friday. He has 80 RBI on the season, which ranks third on the team behind Alvarez and Paredes. September has been a struggle, though, with Walker carrying a .529 OPS this month.
Cam Smith is seventh in the order and arrives with some real momentum. Since the last day of August, he has hit .303 with a 1.083 OPS. His slugging percentage over that span is .714, which ranks 10th in baseball, and he homered in every game of the Phillies series.
Taylor Trammell gets a rare start against a left-handed pitcher and bats eighth. In September, he’s put together a .769 OPS with four doubles among his seven hits.
Christian Vazquez rounds out the lineup in the nine spot. His season OPS sits at .596, but the Astros are 44-28 in games he starts.
Since Aug. 23, Vazquez has hit .105 with a .255 OPS.
In Other News...
Astros Fans Have Seen This Risky Outfield Gamble Go Wrong Before
Jesus Sanchezs run with Toronto has come to an abrupt stop after a stretch in which both his offense and defense slipped, leaving the Blue Jays to designate him for assignment. His batting average and on-base percentage have trended down since June, and the defensive numbers have not helped his case, which is the kind of profile that tends to get a front office thinking twice even when an outfielder still has obvious tools.
For the Astros, the name is familiar enough to stir memories of past outfield gambles that did not age well, but this does not appear to be a fit that has caught much traction in Houston. The club already has other outfield options on the roster, and Sanchezs mixed track record makes him more of a cautionary tale than an obvious upgrade as the Astros sort through their depth and try to avoid repeating a familiar mistake. [Read more 🡒]
Jeremy Pea's Funk Is Becoming A Real Astros Lineup Problem
Jeremy Pea has been holding down the second spot in the Astros lineup while Yordan Alvarez rests with right ankle soreness, but the move has come at an awkward time. Since Aug. 1, Peas offense has slipped badly, and his .602 OPS over that stretch has left him near the bottom of the American Leagues regular hitters. For a club that leans on timely production in the middle of the order, that kind of slide is hard to brush off.
Pea still matters to Houston because of what he brings beyond the box score. His athleticism and overall importance to the offense have made him a fixture in the lineup, even as the results have lagged. But with Alvarez out and Pea occupying a premium spot, the Astros are suddenly dealing with a lineup issue that goes beyond one cold stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Carlos Correas Return Could Trigger An Astros Infield Shakeup
Carlos Correas return from left-ankle surgery is already forcing the Astros to think beyond the obvious. Rather than plugging him right back in at shortstop, Houston is weighing a much different look by trying him at second base, a spot he has never played professionally. It is the kind of move that says a lot about how the club views the fit of its infield as much as it does Correas own versatility.
If Correa does begin a rehabilitation assignment soon, the next step will be seeing how that alignment actually works in game action. The idea could ripple through the rest of the infield, with Jose Altuve or Isaac Paredes potentially affected by the shuffle, and the Astros seem intent on using the comeback to sharpen the defense rather than simply restore the old order. [Read more 🡒]