One third of the 2026 season is in the books, and the Houston Astros find themselves exactly where nobody wanted them to be: 23-31, fourth in the AL West, and staring down a deficit that has made every series feel urgent. Starting Monday in Arlington, they get four games against the Texas Rangers to do something about it.
The Silver Boot Series has never needed much of an introduction. The annual rivalry between the Astros and Rangers carries its own weight regardless of the standings. This time, the standings make it weightier. Houston took two of three from Texas in their last meeting, May 15-17 at Daikin Park.
Houston enters the series 4.5 games behind the division-leading Oakland Athletics and two games behind the Rangers, who are tied with the Seattle Mariners at 2.5 back. Houston took two of three from Texas in their last meeting, May 15-17 at Daikin Park. A four-game sweep—the Astros just completed one in Chicago—would pull Houston past Texas in the standings. Four losses would push the hole to 6.5 games behind the Athletics with two-thirds of the season still to play in a division that, frankly, nobody is running away with.
The Astros have been playing their best baseball of the season, behind a rotation that has dramatically stabilized in May. Spencer Arrighetti leads the way with a 1.32 ERA through seven starts. Kai-Wei Teng has posted a 2.19 ERA since being shifted to a starting role. Peter Lambert has quietly provided stability in the middle of the rotation.
The Rangers, meanwhile, have gone 4-6 over their last ten games and just dropped three straight to the Los Angeles Angels—the last-place team in the division—a result that cost them a chance to gain ground before this series even began.
Houston announced its rotation for the series. Tatsuya Imai opens Monday against Kumar Rocker. Jason Alexander follows Tuesday against Jack Leiter. Mike Burrows draws Jacob deGrom on Wednesday. Spencer Arrighetti closes it Thursday against Nathan Eovaldi.
Yordan Alvarez, the club’s most productive hitter, left Saturday’s game with a back spasm, though he said Sunday was already a scheduled day off and he is expected back in the lineup Monday. Jose Altuve remains on the injured list with a Grade 2 left oblique strain and has not yet resumed baseball activities.
Even so, the momentum from Chicago is real. Their pitching staff ERA in May stands at 3.82. They are not the team that posted a 6.08 ERA in April.
Four games in Arlington will tell us a lot about whether that matters.
Heading to Daikin Park soon? Check the Astros promotions schedule before your next game.