Houston's actually been the shakier team lately, losers of 2 straight and 2-3 across its last 5 after getting run out of San Diego 2-7 in the series finale. But context matters — the Astros have taken 1 of 3 from a Padres club fighting for a playoff spot, while the Giants have dropped 2 straight of their own, including the first 2 of a set with Texas. One team is losing to good teams. The other is just losing.
That split shows up on the injury front too — Houston is missing depth pieces, San Francisco is missing difference-makers.
- 10-Day-ILBrice Matthews (CF) — General manager Dana Brown said Sunday that the Astros are targeting "mid-August, potentially the third week of August" for Matthews' (knee) return from the 10-day injured list, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.08/05
- 15-Day-ILMike Burrows (SP) — Burrows (elbow) threw 55 pitches over three innings at the Astros' complex Saturday and will next make a rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.08/08
- 60-Day-ILCarlos Correa (SS) — Correa (ankle) was cleared to swing a bat Tuesday and is hopeful to return from the 60-day injured list before the end of the season, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.08/04
- 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
- Day-To-DayDaniel Susac (C) — Susac went 2-for-4 with a double in Saturday's 6-5 loss to the Padres.08/09
- 10-Day-ILMarcelo Mayer (2B) — Mayer (forearm) could be cleared to begin a rehab assignment next week, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.08/07
- 10-Day-ILMatt Chapman (3B) — Chapman (abdomen) will undergo season-ending surgery Tuesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.08/07
- 10-Day-ILVictor Bericoto (RF) — Bericoto (oblique) went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Triple-A Sacramento's 13-10 extra-innings loss to Round Rock on Wednesday.08/06
- 10-Day-ILHarrison Bader (CF) — Giants manager Tony Vitello said Thursday that Bader (foot) won't return from the 10-day injured list before the end of the season, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.08/02
- 10-Day-ILJesus Rodriguez (C) — The Giants placed Rodriguez on the 10-day injured list Saturday due to right elbow neuritis, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.08/02
- 10-Day-ILCasey Schmitt (LF) — Schmitt (knee) underwent a debridement of his lateral meniscus Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.07/31
- 15-Day-ILTrevor McDonald (SP) — McDonald is scheduled to undergo UCL reconstruction surgery in early August, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.07/29
- 60-Day-ILJoel Peguero (RP) — Peguero (hamstring) threw a 15-pitch live bullpen session Friday at the Giants' facility in Arizona, MLB.com reports.08/02
- 60-Day-ILMatt Gage (RP) — Gage will be re-evaluated in one month after an MRI revealed a moderate left flexor strain, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.08/02
- 60-Day-ILRowan Wick (RP) — The Giants placed Wick (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILHayden Birdsong (RP) — Birdsong underwent successful UCL reconstruction surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILRandy Rodriguez (RP) — The Giants placed Rodriguez (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJose Butto (RP) — The Giants transferred Butto (arm) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
Houston still has a half-game cushion on Texas and a comfortable buffer over Seattle in the AL West, so there's real incentive to stop the bleeding here rather than let a fading Giants team turn a bad week into a worse one. San Francisco, meanwhile, is just trying to avoid the kind of ugly, no-fight loss that's defined its last 9 games.