HOUSTON -- It was the Angels who helped make sure the Astros didn’t reach the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons last September when they rallied from three runs down to beat Houston in the third-from-last game of the regular season.
The Astros wound up missing the playoffs by one game -- the first time they didn’t reach the postseason since 2016 -- and will be looking to return to the playoffs behind a retooled lineup they’ll unveil Thursday against the Angels, who are coming off a last-place finish in the American League West.
A pair of potential future Hall of Famers will be in their respective team’s lineups -- Mike Trout with the Angels and Jose Altuve with the Astros, who will also have Carlos Correa back in their Opening Day lineup for the first time since 2021.
"I thought we had a really good camp,” Astros manager Joe Espada said at the end of Spring Training. “We accomplished a lot of things we wanted to accomplish. There's a few injuries, but for the most part we are in a really good spot, mentally and physically. We are ready to take the field and excited about 2026."
When is the game and how can I watch it
Angels: First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CT/1:10 PT at Daikin Park. It will be televised by the Angels on FanDuel Sports Network West and aired on KLAA-AM Angels Radio AM 830 and the app in Spanish. It will also be available on Angels.TV.
Astros: First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CT/1:10 PT at Daikin Park. It will be televised by Space City Home Network and aired on KTRH 740 AM and in Spanish on TUDN 102.9 FM.
All out-of-market games are available live or on demand in the US on MLB.TV (subject to blackouts and other restrictions). Live games are also available in select countries outside the US. A full list of available games can be found here.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Angels: Right-hander José Soriano (10-11, 4.26 ERA) gets his first career Opening Day start after three straight solid seasons, including his last two as a starter. His 100-mph power sinker is among the best in the game and he pairs with a knuckle-curve and splitter as well as his four-seamer and occasional changeup. He has a career 1.04 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings against Houston, including a 1.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in nine innings at Daikin Park.
Astros: Right-hander Hunter Brown (12-9, 2.43 ERA) will be making his first career Opening Day start. He’s coming off the best season of his four-year career when he finished third place in the American League Cy Young Award voting. He assumed the role of Houston’s ace last year and struck out a career-high 206 in 185 1/3 innings and allowed only 133 hits. He had eight starts in which he didn't allow an earned run.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Angels: Mike Trout is healthy and moving back to center field while the Angels will use a combination of Oswald Peraza and Adam Frazier at second base. Jeimer Candelario had a strong spring and gives the Angels corner infield depth while Bryce Teodosio is an extra outfielder with Josh Lowe coming back from an oblique injury. Trout will also share time at designated hitter with Jorge Soler and Lowe.
- Zach Neto, SS
- Mike Trout, CF
- Nolan Schanuel, 1B
- Jorge Soler, DH
- Yoán Moncada, 3B
- Jo Adell, RF
- Josh Lowe, LF
- Logan O'Hoppe, C
- Oswald Peraza, 2B
Astros: The Astros haven't ruled out whether shortstop Jeremy Peña will be ready for Opening Day. He fractured his right ring finger in a World Baseball Classic exhibition game while playing for the Dominican Republic three weeks ago. For now, we have him on the IL with Correa sliding to shortstop and Isaac Paredes at third. If Peña is good to go, he’ll start at shortstop, with Correa at third.
- Jose Altuve, 2B
- Isaac Paredes, 3B
- Yordan Alvarez, DH
- Carlos Correa, SS
- Yainer Diaz, C
- Christian Walker, 1B
- Cam Smith, RF
- Joey Loperfido, LF
- Jake Meyers, CF
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Angels: The Angels don’t have a set closer and saw right-hander Robert Stephenson suffer a setback in his return from his elbow/nerve issue. But they signed veterans Kirby Yates, Jordan Romano, Drew Pomeranz and Brent Suter to one-year deals to fortify a bullpen that includes holdovers like Sam Bachman, Chase Silseth and Ryan Zeferjahn. No. 19 prospect Walbert Urena also surprisingly made the club as a long reliever because of his electric stuff. Yates is likely to get the first crack at closing but Romano also has extensive experience and Pomeranz is coming off a solid year with the Cubs.
Astros: The Astros will be without All-Star closer Josh Hader, who will begin the season on the injured list with biceps tendinitis. If Brown can give them seven innings, they’ll have lefty Bryan King in the eighth and Bryan Abreu as the closer. Enyel De Los Santos and Rule 5 Draft pick Roddery Muñoz are the likeliest candidates to pitch the seventh, based on matchups. A shorter outing by Brown could pave the way for AJ Blubaugh, Kai-Weng Teng or Ryan Weiss to throw multiple innings.
Any injuries of note?
Angels: Flamethrowing reliever Ben Joyce opened the year on the injured list after he underwent shoulder surgery last May. But he’s been throwing bullpens without any issues and is expected to rejoin the bullpen in the early part of the season. Otherwise, right-handers Grayson Rodriguez (arm soreness) and Alek Manoah (fingernail blister) are opening on the IL, as the Angels are being cautious with both of them after they didn’t pitch in the Majors last year due to injury. Utilityman Vaughn Grissom injured his left hand on a swing on March 11 and didn’t have enough time to get ready for the season, but he isn’t expected to be out long.
Astros: Hader will start the year on the injured list with biceps tendinitis, which was suffered at the start of February. The big question is whether Peña will be available for Opening Day. He fractured the tip of his right ring finger three weeks ago and was swinging a bat and throwing in the final days of camp. A decision on his status could come down to the wire.
Who is hot and who is not?
Angels: Adell, O’Hoppe, Neto, Soler and Candelario all had impressive springs at the plate, especially Neto with his slugging and speed combination and Adell, Soler, O’Hoppe and Candelario showing off their power. Soler also homered twice against the Dodgers in the first game of the Freeway Series on Sunday. Trout didn’t homer in Cactus League play, but he is running better than he did at any point in 2025 and his left knee feels healthy. Soriano had a strong spring but lefty Reid Detmers was uneven while Moncada and Travis d’Arnaud didn’t fare well offensively in the spring.
Astros: Loperfido, reacquired by the Astros in a trade with the Blue Jays early in camp, slashed .317/.417/.415 in Grapefruit League play and led the club with 13 hits. Fellow young outfielder Smith also had a strong performance in Florida, slashing .256/.356/.462 to win a job. Correa slashed .292/.393/.417 in his first camp with the Astros since 2021. Some regular position players didn’t swing it well in Grapefruit League: Walker had a .538 OPS, Yainer Diaz had a .440 OPS and Altuve had a .376 OPS, but the Astros expect them to be locked in Thursday.
Anything else fans might want to know?
• The Angels and Astros last met on Opening Day on April 7, 2022 at Angel Stadium. Houston won, 3-1, behind homers from Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez and a strong pitching performance from Framber Valdez. The two franchises have never met for Opening Day in Houston.
• Trout, a three-time AL MVP and 11-time All-Star, is making his club-record 13th Opening Day start in center field after he started in right field last year against the White Sox. Trout, though, is returning to center this year because it’s where he feels most comfortable and the Angels have a need for an everyday center fielder. He still will see some time in left field and at DH but center will be his primary position.
• Altuve will be starting on Opening Day for Houston for the 14th time in the past 15 years, all but one of which have been at second base (he started in left field last year).
• The Astros are 11-2 on Opening Day since joining the AL in 2013. The Angels have lost 11 of their last 12 games on Opening Day.