Astros vs Orioles Preview: New Era Starts in Baltimore

The Houston Astros are traveling to play the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. Houston's pitching staff looks different this season because their longtime ace Framber Valdez left as a free agent. Hunter Brown now leads the rotation, taking over as the team's ace. Meanwhile, the Astros added Tatsuya Imai from Japan to help their pitching depth. However, several key players remain sidelined with injuries. Jake Meyers and Taylor Trammell are both on the injured list. Despite these challenges, Houston's closer Josh Hader remains healthy and dominant. If Hader stays strong, he could shut down close games in the late innings.

The Baltimore Orioles are ready to host the Astros at home. Gunnar Henderson is one of baseball's brightest young stars playing shortstop for Baltimore. Last year, Henderson stole a career-high 30 bases, even though his home run power dipped slightly. Meanwhile, Pete Alonso brings veteran experience and elite power to the Orioles' lineup. Alonso signed a five-year deal in free agency and has launched about 264 home runs in his career. Both players give Baltimore a strong offensive foundation. However, the Orioles' pitching staff remains critical to their success this season.

Yordan Alvarez is widely considered one of baseball's best hitters. When healthy, Alvarez combines incredible power with elite contact skills, maintaining a career batting average near 300. However, injuries have limited his playing time recently. He only played in 48 games last season but remains dangerous. Jeremy Peña is another key offensive weapon for Houston. Peña won World Series MVP and ALCS MVP honors during the 2021 championship season. He has continued improving as a hitter, raising his batting average each year to 304 last season. Peña provides balanced offense and strong defense at shortstop.