HOUSTON -- As surprised as many around baseball will be to wake up on Aug. 1 and see the Astros in first place in the American League West, those who have paid attention over the last decade should have known better. After falling 6 1/2 games out of first place

HOUSTON -- Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai, who recorded only two outs in his most recent start Monday against the Angels in Anaheim, will be available to pitch out of the bullpen during Houston’s pivotal series against the Rangers this weekend, manager Joe Espada said Friday. The move comes as no

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HOUSTON -- The final meeting of the season between the Astros and the Rangers -- the Lone Star State rivals who have combined to win nine of the last 11 American League West titles -- sets up as the perhaps most important series between the clubs since the 2023 ALCS.

ANAHEIM -- The horrors of the first month of the season, which were underscored by a series of devastating injuries, are long gone. There are no more questions about whether the Astros are good enough to get back into the American League West race or if they should be buyers

ANAHEIM -- It’s a dilemma managers around the league are having to face on a routine basis: Do you pitch to Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez in a key spot late in the game, or do you put up four fingers and let him trot to first base? The Angels were

ANAHEIM -- More pitching help is on the way for the Astros, with right-hander Hayden Wesneski slated to be reinstated from the injured list and start Wednesday’s series finale against the Angels at Angel Stadium. Wesenski, one of three players the Astros acquired in December 2024 from the Cubs in

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ANAHEIM -- There are improbable wins, and then there is the magic act the surging Astros pulled off Monday night at Angel Stadium. They rallied for four runs in the ninth inning, despite managing just one hit while sending 10 batters to the plate, stunning the Angels with a 6-4

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HOUSTON -- No more talk about the Triple Crown and how he feels about his chances to win it in the American League this year. Yordan Alvarez prefers to let his powerful bat make his case, and it’s making a very strong one with the way he’s been crushing baseballs.

HOUSTON -- Getting drafted by the Astros was one thing. Signing your name on a contract, taking a physical and getting to go onto the field with the Major League team is what really made it all sink in for Astros first-round Draft pick Logan Hughes. Hughes, taken by the

HOUSTON -- Astros second baseman Jose Altuve was out of the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale against the Marlins. Manager Joe Espada said it was simply a day off for Altuve, who hit into a 5-4-3 triple play in his final at-bat in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 5-3 win.

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for July 23. 1) Pee Wee Reese (1918) Reese was the heart and soul of the Dodgers, playing shortstop from

HOUSTON -- With two weeks to reflect on a tumultuous first half of the season and ample time to make some changes before his first start after the All-Star break, Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai leaned more on his third pitch and delivered the kind of start manager Joe Espada hopes

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HOUSTON -- The Astros’ best hitters, Yordan Alvarez and Jeremy Peña, carried the weight offensively Monday night, and starting pitcher Ronel Blanco provided a glimpse of how he can help the club moving forward in his return to the mound for the first time in 429 days. Alvarez smashed his

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar. Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for July 20. 1) Heine Manush (1901) Manush hit better than .300 in 11 full big league seasons and consistently

HOUSTON -- The 12 games the Astros have remaining before the Trade Deadline could determine their fate in October. With the deadline looming in two weeks, the Astros are still considered to be buyers and will be in the market for relief pitching and an outfield bat, though their needs

HOUSTON -- Some help is on the way for the Astros’ beleaguered pitching rotation. Right-hander Ronel Blanco, who hasn’t pitched in the Major Leagues since May 17, 2025, will come off the injured list on Monday to start the series opener against the Marlins at Daikin Park. He underwent surgery

HOUSTON -- The Astros had a 93 percent win probability when Isaac Paredes reached on a throwing error to load the bases in the 10th inning Saturday afternoon. Nick Allen was standing on third base representing the winning run, but in a season where nothing has come easy for the

HOUSTON -- Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña, who’s already been on the injured list twice this season with soft-tissue injuries, and first baseman Christian Walker both exited Saturday’s game against the Orioles after injuring themselves swinging the bat.

HOUSTON -- Lucas Spence had a big day on the water while at home in northern Illinois during the All-Star break, catching a personal-best 11-pound, 30 1/2-ounce walleye while fishing with his father. That wasn’t even the best thing to happen to him this week.

HOUSTON -- The big news Wednesday for the Astros was the trade that sent veteran right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. and Triple-A lefty Colton Gordon to the Brewers, a move which frees up a couple of 40-man roster spots and also some money for the Astros with the Trade Deadline approaching.

HOUSTON – Lance McCullers Jr., the veteran right-hander who helped the Astros win a pair of World Series titles in 2017 and 2022 while pitching in some of the biggest games in franchise history, approved a trade to the Brewers on Wednesday, giving him a chance to continue his career