Angels vs. Astros Series Preview: How to Watch and What to Know

Opening Day is finally here! The Angels start their 2026 campaign against AL West rival Houston today at 1:10 PM Pacific time. Here's the rundown on what you need to know.

How to watch the Angels games against Houston

Today: FanDuel Sports West and Angels.TV 1:10 PM

Friday: Apple TV 5:15 PM

Saturday: FanDuel Sports West and Angels.TV 4:10 PM

Sunday: FanDuel Sports West and Angels.TV 11:10 AM

Mar 1, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Reid Detmers against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Expected pitching matchups:

Today: Jose Soriano (LAA) vs. Hunter Brown (Hou) - Given his track record of success against the Houston Astros, particularly in Houston, Soriano is a great choice for Opening Day.

Friday: Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) vs. Mike Burrows (Hou) - Kikuchi did not see much Cactus League action due to pitching for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. He is the veteran anchor of the rotation and the Angels need him carry on last year's success.

Saturday: Reid Detmers (LAA) vs. Christian Javier (Hou) - The Angels have not officially announced a starter for games 3 and 4 but given the rotation in the Freeway Series expect Detmers on the hill as a starter after spending last season in the bullpen.

Sunday: Jack Kochanowicz (LAA) vs. Tatsuya Imai (Hou) - This will be the Amberican baseball world's first real look at Imai. Kochanowicz earned his roster spot with a really good run in the Cactus League and pitched a really nice game against the Dodgers in the Freeway Series.

Top Storylines:

Opening Day for the 2026 season is the headline for today but each team has several intriguing storylines.

The Astros have lost their stranglehold on the AL West and are trying to get back on top. Future Hall of Famer (yes, even with the cheating scandal) Jose Altuve is now 35 and is no longer flanked by Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and others from the Astros heydey. The team brought in Javier and Imai to help bolster a rotation that let them down last year.

Meanwhile, the Angels are an odd team. They are clearly embracing a youth movement and looking toward the future but still have plenty of veterans in place. Mike Trout is back to running at elite speed and hitting the ball hard. Jorge Soler is looking great and is in a contract year. Overall the lineup is pretty well balanced and features four hitters who could/should hit 25 or more home runs in Trout, Soler, Jo Adell, and shortstop Zach Neto.

Can the Angels bullpen hold up? That will likely determine the series. With Robert Stephenson, Ben Joyce, and Kirby Yates all on the IL the Angels bullpen's depth is already being tested and there's no clear indication of who will close out games.