After a nice off day to travel to Texas the club is all set to gear up again and take the field, ready to take on the Houston Astros for the first time this season.
Houston has gotten off to their typically solid start as they’re second in the AL West, 5.5 games above our last-place A’s. Houston’s gotten to where they are thanks in part to tonight’s starter, who is an early contender for the Cy Young.
For the A’s, lefty JP Sears will take the ball for the 11th time this year. Overall it’s been a successful start to his 2025 campaign but he’s run into trouble in his past two starts, allowing more than four runs in for the first time this year in both appearances. That’s helped explode his ERA from 2.80 all the way to an even 4.00 mark. He’ll hope to get back on track against an Astros team he’s seen plenty of the past couple of years but will see for the first time this season.
The A’s lineup for tonight’s game one against the Astros:
All the regulars in there for the first of two against Houston, with one notable exception. With first baseman Nick Kurtz hitting the 10-day IL with a left hip flexor strain the club will turn to CJ Alexander for the start at first tonight. He’ll be batting seventh in what will be his first start of the season at the big league level. So far the rookie is 2-for-3 to start his Athletics career.
Huge task for the offense as Houston will throw out right-hander Hunter Brown for the assignment against Sears. After teasing his immense potential last year the 26-year-old has seemingly put it all together in his third season. Through ten starts the former top pitching prospect has a beautiful 2.04 ERA while leading Houston’s pitching staff.
The starting lineup for Houston tonight:
Sears has got to be careful with that too of the order. Jeremy Peña and Isaac Paredes have been the Astros’ two best hitters this year. If he can handle those two he should be looking at a quality outing tonight.
Let’s go A’s!