Astros Set Lineup for Giants Opener Clinging to Lead in AL West Division

The Houston Astros unveiled their starting lineup for the 8:45 p.m. CDT first pitch opener against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.

How To Watch/Listen

TV: Giants - NBCSBA; Astros - Space City Home Network

Radio: Giants - KNBR 680, 1510 AM – KSFN Astros - KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM

PITCHING MATCHUP

Houston Astros starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski throws a baseball. — Houston Astros starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Astros: Hayden Wesneski: 2-0, 3.86 ERA vs. Giants: Blade Tidwell: 0-0, 3.18 ERA

Both starting pitchers have made less than two starts this season. Wesneski is coming off 6.0 innings in which he fanned four for the second straight outing. He has earned the win in both appearances this season. Tidwell is making just the fourth start of his career after making two with the Mets last season. He has come out of the bullpen eight times in 2026.

LINEUP

1. SS Jeremy Pena

2. DH Yordan Alvarez (L)

3. 3B Isaac Paredes

4. 2B Jose Altuve

5. LF Taylor Trammell (L)

6. 1B Christian Walker

7. CF Daulton Varsho (L)

8. RF Cam Smith

9. C Christian Vazquez

Last TIme Out

The Astros posted a 1-for-23 on balls in play on Sunday, their worst mark of the season coming in at .043 BABIP. The lack of hard-hit balls contributed to this low number but you would expect a few of the soft contacts to fall in but it failed to happen for the Astros. The offense was also hindered by working zero walks.

Top of the Lineup

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez runs to first base after a hit. — Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pena leads off on Monday in the midst of a lackluster offensive output in his last five games. Pena is 0-for-20 over the last five games with two walks. He has struck out seven times over the five games as the Astros have gone 2-3 over that stretch.

Alvarez continues in the two hole. He has hit a bit of a cold spell failing to reach base safely in each of the last two games. Before this two-game stretch, Alvarez had a 22-consecutive games reached streak, the sixth longest streak of his career. The longest regular season streak of his time in the majors came in a 40-game stretch that started at the end of 2022 and lasted until May 16 of 2023.

Paredes is hitting .154 in August with the three of his five hits coming in Friday’s Astro win. He has a .491 OPS in the month with no home runs. Despite playing a complete game on Sunday and batting third, he had just three plate appearances in the loss.

Altuve, hitting fourth, has been hitting better of late but went 0-for-3 last time out. He is hitting .367 in August with a .941 OPS.

Bottom of the Order

Taylor Trammell hits fifth and has been playing well followed by Christian Walker who had his 11-game hit streak snapped in the loss. Varsho, at the seven spot, had the lone extra-base hit in Sunday’s game for Houston with a home run. Since his time in Houston began, he has a .566 OPS.

Cam Smith returns to the lineup after getting the day off on Sunday followed by catcher Christian Vazquez.

The Astros need to end a stretch of 22 straight Astros sent down that began after the Varsho home run in the second inning of the last game.

Add us as a preferred source on Google