Astros Announce Starting Lineup for Opening Day Game

The Houston Astros missed the playoffs in 2025 for the first time since 2016, and the hunger to get back is real. Opening Day against the Los Angeles Angels at Daikin Park is here, with first pitch set for 4:10 PM ET, and manager Joe Espada has his lineup ready.

The Houston Astros posted their official starting lineup card on X, ahead of the home opener.

Jose Altuve leads off and starts at second base, making his 14th Opening Day start in the last 15 years. Yordan Alvarez, who missed most of last season with a fractured right hand and an ankle injury, hits second as the designated hitter. The full card looks like this:

2B Jose Altuve
DH Yordan Alvarez
3B Isaac Paredes
SS Carlos Correa
LF Joey Loperfido
RF Cam Smith
1B Christian Walker
C Yainer Diaz
CF Jake Meyers
RHP Hunter Brown

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That last name on the card matters just as much as any hitter in the lineup. Hunter Brown gets the ball on Opening Day for the first time in his career, after going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 31 starts last year. The 27-year-old right-hander is now the undisputed ace of this staff.

Notable in the lineup is the absence of Jeremy Peña, who fractured the tip of his right ring finger late in spring training. With Peña unavailable, Correa slides over to shortstop and Paredes gets the start at third base.

What the Astros Opening Day Lineup Tells Us About 2026

Not every name on that card was a lock to be there. Paredes spent the entire offseason at the center of trade rumors, with Houston actively shopping him as the most movable piece in a crowded infield. His presence at third gives Houston another legitimate middle-of-the-order bat to pair with Correa in the heart of the lineup.

The Alvarez situation is the one to watch all season. When healthy, he changes everything for this lineup. Pitchers cannot pitch around Altuve with Alvarez behind him, and that creates opportunities for everyone batting lower in the order. Last year, Houston never got to see that version of this offense for long enough.

Fans will also be watching how this lineup holds up over a full 162-game grind. The rotation behind Brown carries real uncertainty, which means this offense needs to carry its weight early and often.

Houston gets four home games against the Angels to open 2026. A win here, with Brown on the mound and the position players finally healthy, would be the kind of statement this team has been waiting a full year to make.