TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (47-54) will wear their City Connect uniforms tonight as they welcome in the Miami Marlins (52-48) for a three-game series at Daikin Park in Houston, TX.
After undergoing right elbow surgery last season, RHP Ronel Blanco (2026 Debut) is returning to the Astros rotation tonight for his first Major League start since May 17, 2025 at TEX. He’ll be opposed by RHP Jason Junk (4-5, 4.57 ERA) and the Marlins.
BLANCO’S BACK!: RHP Ronel Blanco was a mainstay in the Astros rotation prior to his 2025 right elbow surgery, making 45 starts over the 2023-25 seasons, going 18-11 with a 3.36 ERA (94ER/251.2IP) and a .200 opponent average. After the surgery, Blanco returned to game action this June and has made five minor league appearances, going 1-0 with a 1.06 ERA (2ER/17IP) in those outings.
GET ‘EM EARLY: The Astros rank first in the AL and second in the Majors in 1st-inning runs (67). Overall, the Astros rank 12th in the Majors in runs (455) immediately ahead of the Marlins (447).
THE LINEUP: The Astros have used 100 different lineups in their 101 games, repeating a lineup just once on the season. DH Yordan Alvarez has the most starts at any spot in the lineup among Astros, hitting second 88 times.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The Astros rank second in the AL in fielding pct. (.988) and their 43 errors are the second-fewest in the AL. 1B Christian Walker has led the way, as he has not committed an error in his 96 games played at 1B. Dating back to last season, Walker has not made an error in his last 124 games at 1B (last error was Aug. 23, 2025 at BAL).
VS THE MARLINS: The Astros and Marlins are playing their first series against each other since Aug. 4-6, 2025 in Miami, with the Astros winning two of three games. This is the Marlins first series in Houston since July 9-11, 2024, a three-game sweep for the Astros.
INJURY BUG: The Astros removed both SS Jeremy Peña and 1B Christian Walker from Saturday’s game due to injury. Peña left with a right hamstring cramp and Walker with right hip tightness. Neither player appeared in yesterday’s game.
ASTROS ROSTER MOVES: The Astros have made the following roster moves:
• RHP Ronel Blanco and LHP Bennett Sousa have been reinstated from the 60-day IL.
• IF Raynel Delgado has been optioned to Triple A.
• LHP Bryan King was optioned to Triple A after yesterday’s game.
MVP-CALIBER: DH Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he enters tonight as the AL’s Triple Crown leader, ranking first in batting average (.319), HR (31), and RBI (73). He currently leads all of baseball in OPS (1.062), OBP (.429), SLG (.633), and total bases (228), and in the AL, he ranks first in hits (115), first in XBH (51), third in runs (65), and fourth in walks (66).
ALL-STAR ALVAREZ: DH Yordan Alvarez started and hit second for the AL in last week’s All-Star Game, going 1×2 with a single and a run scored. This marked the fourth All-Star selection for Alvarez (2022-24, 2026) and the second time that he was voted as a starter (also in 2024).
WHAT A HALF!: DH Yordan Alvarez hit 31 homers prior to the break, which are the most in a first half in club history, topping OF Lance Berkman, who hit 29 homers in the first half of the 2002 season. Alvarez is on pace to hit 29 homers on the season, which would represent a new franchise record, topping the 47 homers hit by 1B Jeff Bagwell in 2000.
KEYSTONE FLIGHTS: 2B Jose Altuve has 246 career homers as a second baseman and per Elias that ties him with 2B Joe Gordon and 2B Ian Kinsler for eighth all-time in homers by a second baseman in MLB history. On that all-time list, the trio immediately trails 2B Bret Boone (251), who happens to be the father-in-law of IF Nick Allen.
TAP FOR SUCCESS: Astros hitters have won an MLB-best 71 ABS challenges and lead the Majors in challenge success rate (61%). 2B Jose Altuve has been successful on 15-of-22 challenges (68%), ranking second in the Majors in challenges won. 3B Isaac Paredes (11-for-12) has been the most efficient regular challenger for the team and was successful in his first 11 challenges this year.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader is 3-1 with 10 saves (in 10 chances), has a 1.10 ERA (2ER/16.1IP), 28 strikeouts in 16.1 innings, a .109 (6×55) opponent average, and a 0.86 WHIP in 18 appearances. He has not allowed a hit in 14 of his 18 appearances.
DOWN ON THE FARM: Astros prospect 2B Yamal Encarnacion went 5×5 with two runs scored, a triple and an RBI for Double A Corpus Christi last night in their game at San Antonio. Encarnacion, 22, leads all Astros prospects and leads the Texas League with 40 steals on the season.
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 2011 – 2B Jose Altuve makes his MLB debut in a start at second base, going 1×5 while batting second in the lineup. He picks up his first MLB hit on a single in the 9th off future teammate RHP Tyler Clippard. The Astros beat the Nationals in 11 innings by a score of 3-2 on a pinch-hit walk-off single by PH Jason Michaels.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, July 20, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: SCHN
Radio: KTRH 740 AM; KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Read the full article here