Houston Astros News

The Houston Astros reinstated shortstop Jeremy Pena (calf) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and designated shortstop Braden Shewmake for assignment in a corresponding move, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Pena is starting at shortstop and batting leadoff in his return for Houston in Friday's series opener at Globe Life Field against the division-rival Texas Rangers and right-hander Cal Quantrill. Fantasy managers will want to get the 28-year-old Dominican infielder back into their starting lineups in traditional leagues immediately. In his fifth year in the big leagues in 2026, Pena has dealt with a handful of injuries already and has been on the IL multiple times, but he's also hitting .295/.356/.443 with a .799 OPS, six home runs, 21 RBI, 34 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 48 games and 202 plate appearances. Pena was three homers shy of his first 20-20 season in 2025. He's not an elite high-end fantasy shortstop, but he should be rostered in the majority of leagues as Houston's table-setter. He's hitting .333 with two RBI in six career at-bats against Quantrill.

The Houston Astros optioned right-hander Mike Burrows to Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday and recalled rookie reliever Alimber Santa from the minors in a corresponding move, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The 26-year-old former 11th-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2018 just hasn't been good in 2026 in his first year with Houston (third overall in the majors), going 4-9 with a 5.99 ERA (5.65 FIP) and 1.55 WHIP with 75 strikeouts and 35 walks in 94 2/3 innings pitched over his 18 appearances (17 starts). Burrows leads the league in losses (nine) and earned runs allowed (63), and the Astros have seen enough after he gave up 10 runs (season-high seven earned runs) on nine hits (two homers) while walking two and striking out three in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Washington Nationals on Monday. In his last 10 outings, Burrows has a 6.84 ERA. He could make his way back into the Astros' starting rotation in the second half, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues can stay away. He's rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (calf) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Pena is currently battling a calf strain, but it appears as though he is close to making his return. It's been an injury-marred 2026 campaign for Pena so far, as he's been limited to just 202 plate appearances. Still, the 28-year-old has been productive when healthy, hitting .295/.356/.443 with six home runs, 21 RBI, 34 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. Once Pena returns to the Astros lineup, he profiles as a must-start fantasy shortstop with five-category upside.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai is a tough player to trust, but the strikeouts keep him on the waiver-wire radar. The 28-year-old is 5-4 with a 6.14 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts through 48 1/3 innings. He struck out 11 over six innings against Cleveland on June 19 and followed with 10 strikeouts over six scoreless innings at Detroit on June 25. Then came the reminder of why he is still available. Imai lasted only 1 1/3 innings against Minnesota on July 1, allowing five runs and walking five. His 27.9% strikeout rate is useful, but a 14.0% walk rate and 46.3% hard-hit rate explain the ugly ratios. Imai is rostered in 40% of Yahoo leagues, and RotoBaller lists him as an add in 12-team formats. He fits teams chasing strikeouts, not managers protecting ERA and WHIP.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (calf) is expected to play in some minor league rehab games this week. Pena landed on the Injured List last Tuesday due to a calf strain. He has been doing some light work, but he appears to be ready for game action. Barring any setbacks, the Astros are hopeful that Pena can return for the final series before the All-Star break against the Texas Rangers. Pena was swinging a hot bat before he landed on the shelf, so hopefully this doesn't cool him off. Nick Allen figures to continue seeing a majority of the playing time at shortstop while Pena is out.

Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez bolstered his case as the favorite for the American League MVP award in 2026 with another multi-homer performance in the team's 10-8 win on Saturday against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays at Daikin Park. Alvarez went 3-for-4 at the plate as the designated hitter with six RBI to raise his season batting average to .324 and his OPS to 1.078. The 29-year-old left-handed slugger had a solo shot for his first homer of the day before launching a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to send the Rays home. It was Alvarez's fourth multi-homer game of the season, and the three-time All-Star and former AL Rookie of the Year is now slashing .324/.433/.645 in his 89 games and 388 plate appearances. The Cuban slugger leads the league in a variety of categories, including home runs (29), RBI (67), runs scored (62), hits (104), on-base percentage (.433), slugging percentage (.645), OPS (1.078), and total bases (207). He's by far the favorite for the AL MVP as we near the end of the first half of the season.

Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (back) is starting at first base and batting cleanup for Houston in Friday's contest against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays and right-hander Nick Martinez at Daikin Park, according to MLB.com. Walker will return to the starting nine following an off day on Thursday after he was removed from Wednesday's series finale early against the Minnesota Twins with stiffness in his lower back. Fantasy managers are hoping that the 35-year-old veteran right-handed slugger can get his bat going again with the All-Star break approaching quickly. After a hot start in 2026, Walker went 23-for-103 (.223) with three homers, six doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, nine runs scored, nine walks, and 31 strikeouts in 26 games in June to drop his season slash line down to .239/.310/.469 with a .780 OPS in 361 plate appearances. He has a good matchup to get back on track, as he's hitting .500 with a 1.371 OPS, one homer, and four RBI in 12 career at-bats against Martinez. Get Walker back in your starting fantasy lineups in traditional formats.

Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker (back) was forced from Wednesday night's contest against the Minnesota Twins early at Daikin Park with stiffness in his lower back, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Before he left the game, Walker was 0-for-2 at the plate with two strikeouts. For now, fantasy managers should consider Walker day-to-day. Hopefully, he'll be ready to return to action following an off day on Thursday when the Astros begin a series on Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Isaac Paredes moved from third base to first on Wednesday to replace Walker, with Brice Matthews entering the game to play the hot corner. Walker remains a strong source of power in his second year in Houston, as he entered Wednesday's contest with 19 long balls on the year in 359 plate appearances. He's coming off a slow month of June, though, when he went 22-for-103 (.214) with only three homers, six doubles, a triple, 13 RBI, nine runs, nine walks, and 31 strikeouts in 26 games. Paredes is the best bet to play first for the Astros if Walker misses more time with his back injury.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (calf) was doing some light on-field running at Daikin Park on Wednesday with a trainer, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. The Astros placed Pena on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a strained left calf, but it's obviously not a very serious injury, and the team is hoping that he'll be ready to return when he's eligible to come off the IL. Raynel Delgado is starting at shortstop and batting ninth for Houston on Wednesday against the visiting Minnesota Twins and right-hander Taj Bradley, but Nick Allen and potentially Brice Matthews could also see action at the 6 until Pena makes his way back. Pena, 28, is by no means an elite, high-end option at the shortstop position in fantasy, but he is more than serviceable across most categories and is having a fine season despite a handful of injury issues. Through 183 at-bats in 2026, the Dominican infielder is hitting .295/.356/.443 with a .799 OPS, six homers, 21 RBI, 34 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. Keep him stashed in an IL spot in all leagues.

Houston Astros left-hander Josh Hader continues to dominate opposing hitters and lock down games from the Astros bullpen, delivering another scoreless inning on Tuesday while striking out two batters. Over his last six appearances, Hader has allowed no runs while striking out 10 batters. After missing the beginning of the season due to injury, the 32-year-old has quickly returned to the elite form that has made him one of baseball's premier relievers for years. Hader owns a 0.69 ERA and a 0.54 WHIP with 21 strikeouts across 13 innings. His elite 14.54 K/9 showcases his dominant pitch mix, with just one run allowed all season. Expectations are always high for Hader, but he has surpassed them and remains one of the top fantasy relief arms in baseball.

Houston Astros outfielder Cam Smith continued his power binge in Monday night's 5-4 loss at home to the visiting Minnesota Twins at Daikin Park, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs to raise his season batting average to .222 and his OPS to .685. The 23-year-old former 14th overall pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2024 out of Florida State University is batting only .222 (63-for-284) on the year with an on-base percentage under .300 and a strikeout rate of 25.3% in 85 games (320 plate appearances), but he has already set a new career high in home runs, and four of his last six hits have cleared the fences. It was good to see Smith flex his muscles again after missing Sunday's series finale against the Detroit Tigers due to a sore foot. Although there is a lot of swing and miss in Smith's game, his current xBA sits at .247, and he also has a .332 xwOBA (.294 wOBA), suggesting that positive regression is due in the second half of his sophomore campaign. Smith sits in the 71st percentile in hard-hit rate and the 80th percentile in barrel rate, so when he is making contact, it has been loud. Fantasy managers seeking power should consider Smith off the waiver wire, and he's widely available, as he's rostered in only 11% of Yahoo leagues.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (calf) will head to the 10-day injured list with a mild left-calf strain, manager Joe Espada told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Espada said it should be a "minimum stint" on the IL. The Astros held Pena out of their starting lineup in Monday's series opener against the visiting Minnesota Twins, and now we know why. The good news is that the 28-year-old Dominican's injury isn't serious, and he could be back on July 10, just before the All-Star break next month, to face the Texas Rangers. Until then, both Nick Allen and Brice Matthews could split time at the 6 in Houston. Pena will head to the sidelines sporting a strong .295/.356/.443 slash line, .799 OPS, six home runs, 21 RBI,34 runs scored, and eight stolen bases across his 183 at-bats. It's been a trying 2026 season injury-wise, but when healthy, Pena has been consistent for fantasy managers, and he deserves to be stashed in most leagues while he rehabs. Pena's underlying metrics have been solid as well, as he sports a 37.6% hard-hit rate, 4% barrel rate, .297 xBA, and .345 xwOBA.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (leg) is out of Monday's starting lineup for the series opener against the Minnesota Twins after reporting "left-leg soreness," manager Joe Espada told Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Pena is visiting with team doctors. With Pena out to begin the week, Nick Allen, who is back from the injured list, will start at the 6 and bat eighth for the Astros against Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews. Until we have more specifics on the 28-year-old Dominican's leg injury, fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. The former third-round pick in 2018 out of the University of Maine has battled various injuries in 2026, but when available, he's been solid, slashing .295/.356/.443 with a .799 OPS, six home runs, 21 RBI, 34 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 48 games and 202 plate appearances as the Astros' starting shortstop. Check back on Tuesday to see if Pena is ready to rejoin the action for Game 2 of the series at Daikin Park in Houston.

Houston Astros outfielder Cam Smith (foot) was unable to finish Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers. Smith fouled a ball off his foot, but stayed in the game and actually homered during the at-bat. He attempted to stay in the game, but Smith was ultimately replaced by Joey Loperfido in the seventh inning. Before exiting, Smith went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI in the win over Detroit. It sounds like his exit was precautionary, and Smith should be available for Sunday's series finale. Fantasy managers should check back ahead of Sunday's game for another update.

Houston Astros pitcher Miguel Ullola has been recalled to the big league roster on Saturday. Ullola will make his first trip to the big league roster in his career. As a starting pitcher, Ullola has struggled with a 6.21 ERA across 10 starts with Triple-A Sugar Land. They decided to shift him to the bullpen, which has turned out to be a good decision. Since moving to the bullpen, Ullola owns a 2.70 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 10 innings. The assumption is that he'll be used in the big league bullpen, which won't result in much fantasy value. Fantasy managers in deep leagues should keep Ullola on their radar in case he does end up in the rotation.

Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai's surface stats still look pretty shaky in his first year in the big leagues, but after a rough start to his first season in the States, the 28-year-old has looked more dominant of late and needs to attract interest on the waiver wire in fantasy baseball leagues. Imai was extremely hard to hit for the second straight outing in Thursday night's 2-1 win over the hosting Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, tossing six shutout innings with only two hits allowed, one walk, and 10 strikeouts to drop his season ERA to 5.36. It was his fifth victory of the year. The Japanese native gave up five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning on June 12 to the Kansas City Royals, but he has now fanned 21 hitters with only three runs allowed and one walk in 12 innings in his last two starts. Imai was sent to the injured list early in his MLB debut due to a dead arm, and while it hasn't been perfect since his return, he is definitely looking much more like the pitcher the Astros invested in over the offseason. He should be a popular waiver-wire pickup heading into his next scheduled start against the Minnesota Twins. Imai is rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues.

The Houston Astros reinstated right-handed reliever Bryan Abreu from the restricted list on Thursday and optioned pitcher Colton Gordon to Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Abreu missed the team's series in Toronto this week against the Blue Jays due to a personal matter, but he will return to the back end of the bullpen on Thursday as the Astros start a new series in Motown against the Detroit Tigers. The 29-year-old Dominican hurler opened the 2026 season as the team's primary option at closer with left-hander Josh Hader on the injured list, but he squandered that opportunity and was quickly demoted after struggling early on. Abreu is currently 2-3 on the season with a 6.39 ERA (6.77 FIP), 1.82 WHIP, five saves, 33 strikeouts, and 24 walks in his 25 1/3 relief innings. Since allowing three earned runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 2, Abreu has allowed just two runs (one earned) while walking one and striking out eight in six innings for two saves. With Hader back healthy, though, Abreu's fantasy stock has fallen once again. He's currently rostered in just 19% of Yahoo leagues.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) is back at shortstop and is batting third for Wednesday's tilt on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays and right-hander Trey Yesavage, according to MLB.com. Pena was pulled from the series opener on Monday in Canada with a cramp in his right hamstring and was held out of Tuesday's contest as a precaution. Now that he's back in there on Wednesday, fantasy managers will want to return him to their starting lineups in traditional formats. The 28-year-old Dominican has battled injuries in 2026, but when on the field, he's been money, slashing .284/.346/.451 with a .797 OPS, six home runs, 18 RBI, 29 runs scored, and seven stolen bases in 43 games across 179 plate appearances. Pena has been even better at the plate so far in June, going 21-for-70 (.300) with three long balls, five doubles, 10 RBI, 14 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 20 games for the Astros. He has never faced Yesavage in his MLB career.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) is not in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game at the Toronto Blue Jays after suffering a right-hamstring cramp in Monday's series opener, according to MLB.com. Raynel Delgado will start at shortstop and will bat ninth for the Astros against Blue Jays veteran right-hander Shane Bieber (elbow), who is making his first start of the 2026 season. Manager Joe Espada said that Pena will be available off the bench on Tuesday, which means his hamstring injury isn't considered very serious. It sounds like Pena has a good shot to return to Houston's starting lineup on Wednesday. The Astros can ill-afford to lose Pena for any more time this year with Carlos Correa (ankle) already out for the season. The 28-year-old Dominican shortstop has only 161 at-bats so far in 2026 but is currently hitting a strong .286/.345/.453 with a .798 OPS, six home runs, 18 RBI, 29 runs, and seven stolen bases. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Wednesday to see if he's ready to return to action.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (hamstring) was pulled from Monday's game early against the Toronto Blue Jays with a cramp in his right hamstring, the team announced. Before leaving the contest, Pena was 1-for-2 at the plate with a run scored as the Astros' leadoff hitter. Raynel Delgado moved from third base to shortstop to fill in for Pena to finish out the 4-2 loss to Toronto at the Rogers Centre. Carlos Correa (ankle) is out for the season, and Nick Allen (hamstring) is also on the injured list, so if the 28-year-old Pena misses more time with his hamstring injury, the Astros' infield depth will be tested. It doesn't sound like a very serious injury for Pena, though, and he should be considered day-to-day for now. Check back later on Tuesday to see if he's available to return to the starting nine as the series in Toronto against the Jays continues. Pena has missed time with injuries already this year, but he's hitting a strong .286/.345/.453 with a .798 OPS, six homers, 18 RBI, seven steals, and 29 runs scored in his 42 games across 177 plate appearances.