Right-hander Hayden Wesneski will make his first start in almost 15 months when the surging Houston Astros go for a three-game series sweep of the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Wesneski last pitched in a major league game on May 6, 2025, in a 4-3 loss at Milwaukee. He was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow discomfort on May 9 and underwent Tommy John surgery a few weeks later.
Wesneski was 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in 32 innings at the time of the injury. The win came against the Angels on April 13, when he allowed three runs on five hits in six innings while striking out a career-high 10 batters.
He is 2-0 with a 2.65 ERA in three career starts against Los Angeles.
Wesneski had a 2.25 ERA in five minor league rehab starts. He last pitched on Friday for Triple-A Sugar Land (Texas), throwing 80 pitches and striking out seven while hitting 95.9 mph with his fastball.
“The stuff felt good,” Wesneski told reporters before Houston’s 3-2 victory Tuesday night at Angel Stadium. “There are times it felt inconsistent, but for the most part I’ve thrown a lot of strikes, which is the biggest deal. I’m spinning it well.”
Wesneski, who went to at Cy-Fair High School near Houston, said he knows he will be dealing with some nerves when he takes the mound on Wednesday.
“Obviously, I’m very excited for tomorrow,” he said Tuesday. “I’m going to be nervous. I’m excited about it.”
Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (3-3, 8.54 ERA), also on the comeback trail after missing almost two seasons with various injuries, will make his 10th start of the season for the Angels. He was acquired in an offseason trade with Baltimore for outfielder Taylor Ward.
Rodriguez is 0-1 with a 6.06 ERA in three career starts vs. Houston. He didn’t figure into the decision against the Astros on June 8, when he allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings while striking out six. Houston rallied to win 5-4 in 10 innings.
The Astros have won each of the first two games in the series following rallies in the ninth inning.
Houston scored four runs on just one hit, taking advantage of a pair of Los Angeles errors, two hit-by-pitches and two walks, to rally for a 6-4 win on Monday. MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez hit his majors-best 35th homer and also singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning to give the Astros a 3-2 victory on Tuesday for their seventh win in the past eight games.
Left-hander Reid Detmers, rumored to be on the trading block, gave up two runs on four hits in five innings as the starter in the Angels’ loss. Detmers walked one and struck out nine and departed after throwing 84 pitches, 58 for strikes.
“I thought he really mixed his pitches well and gave us a chance to win,” Los Angeles manager Kurt Suzuki said.
It was the 20th consecutive home start that Detmers made without picking up a win in what could be his final start in an Angels uniform.
“You see all the stuff,” Detmers, who is 3-7 with a 4.03 ERA this season, said in addressing the trade speculation. “It’s impossible to go on social media and not see it. It is what it is. … There’s not a whole lot I can control on that side. The only thing I can control is my day every five days.”
–Field Level Media
