RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 2 sourcesTONIGHT’S GAME: The Astros and Rangers will resume the Silver Boot Series tonight in a huge three-game set between the top two teams in the AL West.
Astros ace RHP Hunter Brown (2-1), who tossed 7.0 shutout innings in his last start, will get tonight’s start opposite Rangers 10-game winner and native Houstonian RHP Nathan Eovaldi (10-8).
THE SILVER BOOT SERIES: The Astros are 6-4 vs. the Rangers in the 2026 Silver Boot Series and can win the season series with just one win this series.
Since the start of the 2017 season, the Astros have won or split nine straight season series against the Rangers, going 99-55 vs. the Rangers in that span.
THE SLOW TURNAROUND: After a slow start to the season, the Astros are 35-24 since May 22, which ties as the best record in the AL in that span.
On that date, the Astros were 20-31, 11 games under, which is their low water mark for the season.
Winning Percentage since May 22, AL T1. Astros 35-24 (.593) T1. Red Sox 35-24 (.593) T3. Orioles 32-27 (.542) T3. White Sox 32-27 (.542)
WINNING WAYS: The Astros have won eight of their last nine games, which included a five-game winning streak (July 20-25).
After Wednesday’s win, the Astros are now 55-55, giving them their first .500 record since they were 6-6 on April 7.
MEASURING UP: The Astros are 32-23 vs. teams currently at .500 or better.
Also, Houston is a combined 20 11 vs. the six AL clubs currently holding playoff spots, with a 10-6 record vs. the three AL division leaders (2-1 vs. TB, 6-4 vs. TEX, 2-1 vs. CWS) and a 10-5 record vs. the three current AL Wild Card teams (5-1 vs. BOS, 4-2 vs. CLE, 1-2 vs. NYY).
WINSDAY IN ANAHEIM: The surging Astros completed their fourth sweep of the season on Wednesday in Anaheim with a 7-4 win over the Angels.
RHP Hayden Wesneski (3ER/5.2IP) recovered from a three-run 1st inning to pick up the win in what was his first start in over a year.
C Yainer Diaz (4×5, HR, 2RBI) tied his career high in hits, while SS Jeremy Peña (1×5, HR, RBI) hit his 12th homer of the season.
ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros are coming off a 5-1 road trip that took them to Chicago-AL (2-1) and Anaheim (3-0).
The Astros are 22-13 (.629) on their last five road trips and are 28-19 (.596) on the road since going 1-9 on their first road trip of the season…Houston is now 29-28 overall on the road.
TONIGHT’S BROADCASTS: Tonight’s game will be exclusively televised by Apple TV with Alex Faust, Ryan Spilborghs and Tricia Whitaker on the call…the Astros English radio broadcast on SportsTalk 790 will feature Robert Ford and Kevin Eschenfelder…Francisco Romero and Alex Treviño will be on the call on the Astros Spanish radio broadcast on TUDN 102.9 FM.
ON THE MEND: The Astros have five players on the Major League Injured List.
Updates on four:
RHP Spencer Arrighetti (rt. foot nerve irritation) had an injection in his foot earlier this week and has resumed his throwing program.
RHP Mike Burrows (rt. elbow neuritis) threw a 35-pitch live BP session in West Palm Beach today.
IF Carlos Correa (lt. ankle tendon injury) has begun light on field baseball activity and a running progression.
OF Brice Matthews (lt. knee sprain) is currently participating in light baseball activities in Houston.
MVP-CALIBER: Yordan Alvarez is a strong AL MVP candidate as he leads the league in all three Triple Crown categories, ranking first in batting average (.321), HR (35), and RBI (80).
Additionally, he currently leads MLB in OPS (1.072), OBP (.432), SLG (.640) and TB (251), and in the AL, he ranks first in hits (126), extra-base hits (55), and runs (74), and fourth in walks (73).
HOT IN JULY: DH Yordan Alvarez has hit .349 (29×83) with nine home runs, 20 RBI, a .450 OBP, a .723 SLG, and a 1.173 OPS in 22 games in July.
In the month, Alvarez leads the AL in home runs, RBI, OPS and SLG, while ranking tied for second in walks (15), third in hits, and fourth in batting average.
PEÑA’S STREAK: SS Jeremy Peña has hit safely in 11 straight games at a .413 (19×46) clip with six homers, eight RBI and 14 runs scored in those contests.
This streak ranks as the third-longest streak of his career trailing only 13- and 14-game streaks posted in the 2025 season.
DIESEL POWER: RHP Hunter Brown will make his 10th start of the season and his eighth since returning from a lengthy stint on the IL with a right shoulder strain.
He has shown some rust upon his return, but did post his best start of the season his last time out, shutting out the White Sox on two hits in 7.0 innings on Saturday in Chicago.
Tonight, Brown will face the Rangers, who he’s gone 4-4 with a 3.00 ERA (19ER/57IP) against in 10 career starts.
WHAT A RELIEF: LHP Josh Hader, who is 14-for- 14 in save opportunities with a 1.23 ERA, enters tonight with 76 career saves as an Astro, needing one more to move past RHP Fred Gladding for fifth place all-time among Astros relievers.
MINOR LEAGUE MOVES: The Astros have re-signed IF Braden Shewmake to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple A.
Also, RHP J.P. France, who spent parts of the last four seasons with the Astros, has been given his release.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Friday, July 31, 7:10 p.m. CT
Location: Daikin Park, Houston, TX
TV: Apple TV
Radio: KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
Good to be back home! ⚾️: 7:10 PM 🏟️: Closed 📺: @AppleTV 🎙️: @SportsTalk790 & 740 AM | Spanish: 102.9 HD2 #ChaseTheFight x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/kIWQDZVJEp
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 31, 2026
Big Game Nate gets the ball. #AllForTX pic.twitter.com/9J9tCYKnoq
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 31, 2026
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