Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
HOU	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	4	6	5	1
LAA	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	6	2

Walbert Ureña (6-7, 2.78) gets the ball for the Angels against Tatsuya Imai (6-4, 5.59) at 6:38 PM PT, and it's genuinely the most interesting subplot of this series. Ureña, a rookie, has been outstanding since May 1, and Imai is trying to build off his best start in weeks.

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FINAL

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ML

Total

Astros(52-55)

LWWWW

6

-1.5+160-102o8.5-106

Angels(42-64)

WLLLW

4

+1.5-163-100u8.5+106

Best BetAstros -114

Pregame

We took the Astros at -114 and we're sticking with it. Houston's lineup is deep enough to overcome a shaky rotation against a last-place club that's already waved the white flag internally, and Imai's strikeout stuff gives him a real shot to out-duel a rookie making just his second start off the break.

Houston took 4 of 5 before Sunday's 12-3 blowout loss in Chicago exposed a rotation that's basically running on fumes — Hayden Wesneski, Spencer Arrighetti, Mike Burrows and Brandon Walter are all on the shelf. Imai himself looked cooked before the break, carrying a 12.60 ERA over his final two first-half starts, but he answered with 6 innings, 1 earned run and 8 strikeouts against Miami on July 21. If that version shows up again, it papers over a lot of Houston's pitching depth issues.

Tatsuya Imai

(6-4)·5.55 ERA

Jul 21 vs Marlins

W

6.0IP

1ER

8K

3BB

96P

07/27 Lineup

Walbert Ureña

(7-8)·2.83 ERA

Jul 21 vs Cardinals

W

6.0IP

1ER

5K

1BB

98P

07/27 Lineup

The Angels, meanwhile, are staring down an ugly stretch that has nothing to do with one game. They're on pace for an 11th straight losing season, GM Perry Minasian got fired in June, and ownership's reluctance to fully rebuild has left this roster stuck in no-man's-land. Ureña is one of the only bright spots — his fastball's been touching 100 mph and he's been a legit weapon since returning from the break — but he's also a rookie the front office may end up shopping if the Astros or anyone else comes calling before the deadline.

Houston Astros

(6)

• 10-Day-ILBrice Matthews (CF) — The Astros announced that Matthews was removed from Sunday's game against the Rangers after the first inning due to a left knee injury, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.07/17
• 15-Day-ILSpencer Arrighetti (SP) — The Astros placed Arrighetti on the 15-day injured list Saturday due to right foot nerve irritation, Julia Morales of Space City Home Network reports.07/25
• 15-Day-ILMike Burrows (SP) — General manager Dana Brown said Wednesday that Burrows (elbow) is expected to begin throwing off a mound within the next 7-to-10 days, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.07/15
• 60-Day-ILHayden Wesneski (SP) — Wesneski (elbow) struck out seven and allowed one unearned run on two hits and two walks across 4.1 innings in a rehab start Friday with Triple-A Sugar Land.07/26
• 60-Day-ILBrandon Walter (SP) — The Astros announced Friday that Walter (elbow) is in the midst of a throwing progression at the team's complex in West Palm Beach, Fla., Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.06/04
• 60-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — Correa is scheduled to undergo surgery Monday in Houston to repair the tendon in his left ankle, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.06/02

Los Angeles Angels

(9)

• 10-Day-ILAdam Frazier (2B) — Frazier (elbow) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Sunday, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.07/20
• 10-Day-ILSebastian Rivero (C) — Rivero (hand) has been catching at the Angels' spring complex in Arizona, MLB.com reports.07/12
• 60-Day-ILYoan Moncada (3B) — Moncada (knee) has been rehabbing at his home and hasn't started baseball activities, MLB.com reports.07/22
• 60-Day-ILYusei Kikuchi (SP) — Kikuchi (shoulder) is expected to throw another live session this weekend, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.07/22
• 60-Day-ILTravis d'Arnaud (C) — D'Arnaud (foot) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday.07/17
• 60-Day-ILBen Joyce (RP) — Joyce (shoulder) averaged 100.2 mph with his fastball in a one-inning rehab appearance in the Arizona Complex League on Thursday, Taylor Blake Ward of TheSportingTribune.com reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILJack Kochanowicz (SP) — Kochanowicz's Tommy John surgery on his right elbow was deemed "successful," per MLB.com.06/27
• 60-Day-ILRobert Stephenson (RP) — The Angels announced that Stephenson underwent ligament and flexor repair surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.05/08
• 60-Day-ILAnthony Rendon (3B) — The Angels placed Rendon (hip) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08

Houston's absences are almost entirely pitching — a rotation stripped down to bare parts — while the Angels are banged up everywhere, from Yoan Moncada and Anthony Rendon at third to Travis d'Arnaud behind the plate. That's the difference between a contender managing depth and a last-place team just trying to field a lineup.

Houston Astros

(52-55)

Jul 26L@ White Sox3-12

Jul 25W@ White Sox4-1

Jul 24W@ White Sox9-5

Jul 23Wvs Marlins5-2

Jul 22Wvs Marlins5-3

Los Angeles Angels

(42-64)

Jul 26W@ Giants4-3

Jul 25L@ Giants2-9

Jul 25L@ Giants6-7

Jul 22Lvs Cardinals0-1

Jul 22Wvs Cardinals5-1

Isaac Paredes has been swinging it well and gave Imai a cushion in his last outing, and if the Astros' offense shows up early against a shaky Angels pen, this could get out of hand fast. Los Angeles has flashed some fight — that walk-off comeback against the Giants Sunday shows they're not folding — but this is still a team playing out the string while Houston is trying to hang onto a wild-card spot.