The Astros open a three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Monday looking to snap a four-game losing streak that has dropped Houston to just two wins in its last nine games. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Central at Daikin Park, with all three games airing on Space City Home Network.
The Marlins arrive as one of the more surprising stories in baseball this season. Under first-year manager Clayton McCullough, Miami sits at 52-46 and in real contention for the NL East, a dramatic turnaround for a franchise that has spent recent years in rebuild mode. The roster is built around a young core. Shortstop Otto Lopez has been an MVP-caliber presence, entering the series hitting .335, though he’s now dealing with a right ring finger injury that has his availability for the series uncertain. Outfielder Xavier Edwards has quietly become one of the league’s better table-setters, batting .299 with 14 stolen bases, while Heriberto Hernández has provided power in the middle of the order with 13 home runs and 36 RBIs.
Monday’s opener features an intriguing pitching matchup. Ronel Blanco makes his return from Tommy John surgery for Houston, his first major league appearance since May 2025, after posting a 1.06 ERA over five rehab outings. Opposing him is Miami’s Janson Junk, who enters at 4-5 with a 4.57 ERA and has won his last two decisions after dropping three straight in May.
Houston enters the series at 47-54, seven games under .500. Miami has struggled away from home, however, posting a 21-28 road record that could provide an opportunity for an Astros club trying to regain its footing.
Yordan Alvarez remains the centerpiece of Houston’s lineup, batting .319 with 31 home runs and 73 RBIs while making a strong case for the American League Triple Crown. Shortstop Jeremy Peña and first baseman Christian Walker, however, are both listed as day-to-day, leaving their availability for Monday’s opener uncertain.
With the trade deadline two weeks away, this series pits two clubs expected to be active buyers. Miami has exceeded expectations and appears poised to reinforce a surprising postseason push, while Houston is under increasing pressure to add enough pitching and offensive help to keep its own October hopes alive.
