The injury-depleted Houston Astros continued their surge up the American League standings over the weekend, setting up an intriguing six-game homestand that begins with a three-game set against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Houston claimed the rubber match of a three-game road series with an 8-7 win against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. Since dropping the final two games of a road set against the Tampa Bay Rays in mid-May, the Astros have won seven of nine series (with two splits).
An integral component to their exceptional play is shortstop Jeremy Pena, who finished 2-for-5 with a home run in the series finale against the Angels for his fourth multi-hit game over his last five starts.
Pena will enter the final full week of June slashing .381/.416/.536 this month. His 4.5 WAR ranks second among AL position players, with his combination of offense and defense carrying the club and earning All-Star Game consideration.
“He has to be the starting shortstop, there’s no doubt,” Astros utilityman Mauricio Dubon said of Pena. “This guy comes out here every day and puts (together) great at-bats. He does it defensively or offensively. He’s one of the best.
“Not just an All-Star, he’s playing like an MVP right now.”
Left-hander Framber Valdez (8-4, 3.09 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros on Tuesday. He is unbeaten over his last eight starts, going 7-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 62 strikeouts over 55 innings.
Valdez issued a season-high five walks against the Athletics on Wednesday but still recorded the 11-4 victory after allowing just two runs on five hits with three strikeouts over six innings.
Valdez is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two career starts against the Phillies. In his previous outing against Philadelphia on April 28, 2023, Valdez allowed three runs on eight hits with three strikeouts over seven innings in a 3-1 home loss.
Ranger Suarez (6-1, 2.20 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Phillies. The lefty recorded his eighth consecutive quality start on Wednesday against the Miami Marlins, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with a season-high-tying eight strikeouts over seven innings in a 4-2 victory.
Suarez has allowed two earned runs or fewer in his last six starts, going 4-1 with a 0.91 ERA during that stretch. Suarez has issued four walks over 27 innings in four June starts.
He has made one career start against the Astros. He surrendered six runs on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts over three innings in a 10-0 road loss on Oct. 4, 2022.
The Phillies claimed the rubber match of their three-game series with the New York Mets 7-1 on Sunday, setting the tone for what is shaping up to be an entertaining chase for the National League East pennant.
The Phillies were five games behind the Mets as recently as June 11, but their victory on Sunday pushed them a game ahead of New York entering their series in Houston.
“Anytime you win a series, it feels good, especially within your division,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “It was a great win (Sunday) because of the fact that it was a bounce-back from (Saturday).”
The Phillies have won 10 of 13 games following a five-game losing skid earlier this month.
–Field Level Media
