Former NL Central rivals will renew acquaintances for the first time since 2019, with the Houston Astros (4-6) flying out to western Pennsylvania to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates (6-3). Monday's game will be the first of the three games the Astros and Pirates play against each other in 2023. Most people would expect the records for these clubs to be flipped, but Pittsburgh has come out swinging, and Houston has dragged through their first 10 games. In PNC Park, both teams have an opportunity to pick up another win, with the first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m. EST.
Maybe the AL Central has their number, but the Astros have a losing record through their first 10 games after winning it all in 2022. They'll finally face a team from a different division, hoping to reverse their fortunes a bit.
Their success in 2022 was built upon elite pitching, and they aren't living up to it so far this year. Losing Justin Verlander was always going to sting, but their staff entered Sunday 29th in hits allowed and had already surrendered 10 home runs. The relievers have blown three of their five save opportunities while sporting a 4.71 ERA. Luckily, the new staff ace will be on the mound for this one.
That would be Framber Valdez, a 2022 All-Star and champion. Last season he led the league in innings pitched and HR/9, finishing the season with a 2.82 ERA. In two starts this season, Valdez has only allowed three runs in 12.0 innings. He has 13 strikeouts against just one walk yet, Houston lost Valdez's first two 2023 starts.
This is a lineup missing Jose Altuve and Michael Brantley, two All-Star hitters, and it's noticeable. Before Sunday, the team was bottom-10 in batting average, OBP, and slugging percentage. They also had 88 strikeouts through their first nine games, almost 10 per contest and a mark that was 28th in the league. New first baseman and former MVP Jose Abreu has fit in nicely, hitting safely in all 10 games he's played as an Astro. He joins Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker as nightmare fuel in the middle of the lineup, with those three off to terrific starts.
It'll be up to the rest of the lineup to pick up the slack until Altuve and Brantley return. They got a glimpse of that on Sunday afternoon, a 5-1 win over the Twins. Chas McCormick drove in four runs hitting leadoff, with a two-run home run and a two-run single.
CHAS! CHAS! CHAS! pic.twitter.com/xHw3Bj0ede
— Houston Astros (@astros) April 9, 2023