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Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick will be riding pine on Sunday as the Astros conclude a two-game set in Mexico City with the Colorado Rockies. This is the second time the 29-year-old has been on the bench this week, and he may find himself entering a part-time role. As a result, Yordan Alvarez will shift to left field, opening the designated hitter spot for Yainer Diaz, who is usually behind the dish. McCormick has had a rough start to the season as he has posted a .236/.325/.278 line and has yet to hit a home run, which is very different from his strong 2023 numbers, where he posted a .273 AVG and was one swiped bag away from being a 20/20 player. However, the entire Astros lineup will be a popular stack in DFS as they will face Austin Gomber, who enters Sunday's game with a 4.32 ERA.
Houston Astros outfielder Chas McCormick (rest) is out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies. This appears to be a routine rest day for the right-handed slugger. Yordan Alvarez will handle left field with Yainer Diaz serving as the designated hitter for Sunday's game. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups accordingly.
Houston Astros starting pitching Ronel Blanco looks to continue his hot start to the season when he faces the Colorado Rockies in Mexico City on Saturday. Blanco has been one of the bigger surprises of the season so far, starting off with a bang by throwing a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays in his season debut. He's been the Astros' best starter, posting up a 1.33 ERA with 22 K in 27 innings pitched. His xwOBA of .232 ranks in the top 6% of the league, pointing to the fact that what we're seeing may be real results and Blanco hasn't been lucky. He'll face a tough test in Mexico City. Maybe not necessarily because of his bleak opponent, but because of the altitude at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu which sits nearly 2,000 feet higher than Coors Field. If he can keep control of his pitch mix then Blanco should keep on rolling on Saturday in what would normally be a very favorable matchup.
Houston Astros starter J.P. France was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday evening ahead of the team's trip to Mexico City. France has struggled to the tune of a 7.46 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 0-3 record so far this season. His demotion opens up a roster spot for Framber Valdez (elbow), who is set to return for Sunday's game against the Colorado Rockies. It is unclear how the rest of the Astros rotation will shake out, but it looks like rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti will stick in the majors for the time being. France can be dropped in all formats.
Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (elbow) will come off the injured list and start on Sunday against the Colorado Rockies in Mexico City, according to manager Joe Espada. On the surface, the matchup against the Rockies is excellent. However, there are a couple reasons why fantasy managers should be hesitant to quickly throw the 30-year-old southpaw back into their starting lineups immediately. First off, Valdez has been on the injured list since April 9 with inflammation in his left elbow. Second, he's going to return to the big-league rotation without making a minor-league rehab start, which means he'll likely be limited from a pitch-count perspective. And third, he'll be extra shaky in the thin air in Mexico City.