Eovaldi's 4.15 ERA is a bit of a mirage — he got rocked in his first 6 starts (23 runs, 9 homers) before back-to-back gems against the Yankees, the most recent a 1-run, 8-inning, 8-K masterpiece. So the version Houston gets Sunday could be either of those guys, and the side issue doesn't exactly clear the question up.
Across from him is Peter Lambert, who has basically become the best story on the Astros staff. Out of MLB since 2024, spent last year pitching in Japan, signed a minor-league deal, and now sits at a 2.76 ERA with starts of 7 shutout innings against the Dodgers and 7 strong against Seattle in his last two times out. The Astros' rotation is held together with duct tape — Hunter Brown, Ronel Blanco, Cristian Javier, and Hayden Wesneski all on the 60-day — and Lambert keeps stacking quality outings.
- Day-To-DayCorey Seager (SS) — Seager is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Astros.05/16
- Day-To-DayNathan Eovaldi (SP) — Eovaldi (side) threw a bullpen session without issue Wednesday and expects to make his next scheduled start Sunday in Houston, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.05/13
- Day-To-DaySebastian Walcott (SS) — Rangers GM Ross Fenstermaker said Tuesday that Walcott could be ready for game action in August, "if all things according to plan" in his rehab from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his right elbow, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.04/07
- 10-Day-ILJosh Smith (2B) — Smith (lower body/wrist) was diagnosed with viral meningitis Friday and is receiving treatment in a hospital, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.05/15
- 10-Day-ILCody Freeman (3B) — Freeman (back) will begin a rehab assignment with the Rangers' Arizona Complex League affiliate Thursday.05/14
- 10-Day-ILWyatt Langford (LF) — Langford (forearm) rejoined the Rangers in Detroit on Saturday and will rest for a full week before being reevaluated by the team, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILLuis Curvelo (RP) — Curvelo (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.05/15
- 15-Day-ILChris Martin (RP) — Martin (biceps) is expected to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday or Wednesday, Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News reports.05/12
- 15-Day-ILCarter Baumler (RP) — Baumler (intercostal) has been shut down from his rehab assignment, MLB.com reports.05/10
- 15-Day-ILRobert Garcia (RP) — Garcia (shoulder) began throwing from 80 feet out Friday, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.05/08
- OutDeclan Cronin (RP) — Cronin (elbow) signed a two-year, minor-league contract with the Rangers on Tuesday, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.05/08
- OutNabil Crismatt (SP) — Crismatt will undergo surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCody Bradford (SP) — Bradford (elbow) began throwing from 60 feet during the Rangers' most recent homestand, MLB.com reports05/10
- 60-Day-ILJordan Montgomery (SP) — Montgomery (elbow) will throw his fifth bullpen session Tuesday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayJose Altuve (2B) — Altuve was removed in the ninth inning of Saturday's game against the Rangers due to a left side injury, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/17
- Day-To-DayWalker Janek (C) — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Janek on its 7-day injured list Sunday due to an unspecified injury.05/08
- Day-To-DayLucas Spence (OF) — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Spence on its 7-day injured list April 22 due to an unspecified injury.05/08
- 10-Day-ILJeremy Pena (SS) — Pena (hamstring/neck) hopes to resume his rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/14
- 10-Day-ILJake Meyers (CF) — Meyers (oblique) is slated to begin a rehab assignment this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/11
- 10-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — Correa is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday in Houston to repair the tendon in his left ankle, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/10
- 10-Day-ILJoey Loperfido (LF) — The Astros announced Monday that Loperfido (quadriceps) has started light running and light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILTaylor Trammell (CF) — The Astros announced Monday that Trammell (groin) has begun a running progression in addition to taking part in light baseball activity, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILYainer Diaz (C) — The Astros placed Diaz (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILNate Pearson (RP) — Pearson (elbow) is being built up as a reliever on his rehab assignment, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/11
- 15-Day-ILBennett Sousa (RP) — The Astros placed Sousa on the 15-day injured list Saturday with left elbow inflammation, retroactive to Wednesday, Julia Morales of Space City Home Network reports.05/09
- 60-Day-ILJosh Hader (RP) — Astros manager Joe Espada said Saturday that Hader (biceps) will log at least five more rehab appearances before he's activated from the 60-day injured list, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.05/16
- 60-Day-ILHunter Brown (SP) — The Astros transferred Brown (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Saturday.05/09
- 60-Day-ILHayden Wesneski (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Wesneski (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILRonel Blanco (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Blanco (elbow) is continuing to complete regular bullpen sessions as part of his throwing progression, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILBrandon Walter (SP) — The Astros placed Walter (elbow) on the 60-day injured list.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCristian Javier (SP) — The Astros announced Monday that Javier (shoulder) will begin a throwing progression this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.05/08
The injury sheet is genuinely grim for both sides. Texas is already without Wyatt Langford, Josh Smith (viral meningitis, in the hospital), and Corey Seager sat Friday and is day-to-day. Houston is missing half a lineup between Correa (ankle surgery), Pena, Yainer Diaz, Jake Meyers, and now Jose Altuve, who exited Saturday's game in the 9th with left-side soreness after an awkward swing. Both teams are running out guys nobody picked in fantasy.
Despite the records (Astros 19-28, Rangers 21-24) and Lambert outpitching Eovaldi on paper this year, Pinnacle still has Texas as a -115 favorite. The market trusts Eovaldi's track record over Lambert's 5-start sample, but DK's public is hammering the Rangers anyway — 87% of moneyline handle on Texas — and the EV on both sides of the ML is negative. If you're playing this one, the under at 7.5/8 is at least the lean the sharps are sniffing at.