The Rangers dropped the first two of this weekend set in Houston — a 2-0 snoozer Friday and a 4-1 loss Saturday in which Jacob deGrom got tagged for 4 homers and got stuck on 99 career wins. Now they hand the ball to Nathan Eovaldi, who was a late scratch against Arizona on Monday with left-side tightness before throwing a clean bullpen Wednesday and confirming he'd take this turn.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 10-Day-ILCody Freeman 3B — Freeman (back) will begin a rehab assignment with the Rangers' Arizona Complex League affiliate Thursday.
- 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.
- 15-Day-ILLuis Curvelo RP — Curvelo (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Friday.
- 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.
- 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.
- Day-To-DayWalker Janek C — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Janek on its 7-day injured list Sunday due to an unspecified injury.
- Day-To-DayLucas Spence OF — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Spence on its 7-day injured list April 22 due to an unspecified injury.
- 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.
- 10-Day-ILJake Meyers CF — Meyers (oblique) is slated to begin a rehab assignment this week, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.