Astros vs Rangers Preview: Battle at the Gate to May 28

Let's talk about the star. Yordan Alvarez is on fire right now. In Tuesday's game, he blasted two home runs—one that screamed 449 feet to right-center, another that sailed 422 feet. That's the kind of power that changes games instantly. The Astros are 25-32 and desperate for wins. Texas just beat Houston 10-7 yesterday in a wild first inning where the Rangers scored five runs before the Astros could breathe. But Alvarez's bat keeps Houston alive. When he connects, the ball doesn't come back down the same way. Mike Burrows takes the mound for Houston. The Astros need consistency. Alvarez alone can't carry them through Texas's rotation.

Jacob deGrom is Texas's ace, and he's taking the mound Thursday night. The veteran pitcher has been through injuries before, and he proved last season he can still dominate when healthy. But right now, deGrom carries a 6.43 ERA this season—that's not where the Rangers want their starter to be. Texas just beat Houston 10-7 yesterday, but they're also struggling overall. They're 25-30 on the year. Brandon Nimmo gives them something to build around. The outfielder is hitting .364 and brings veteran leadership to the Rangers lineup. Jake Burger swings for power. If these bats wake up alongside deGrom's best stuff, Texas has a chance to pull away from Houston.

Both teams are searching for answers. Houston sits at 25-32 and just won one game to snap a skid. Texas is 25-30 and dropping recently. They haven't won big lately either. The Rangers blew up the scoreboard yesterday—they scored five runs in the first inning alone. Carter tripled home runs, Burger singled, Pederson launched a bomb 399 feet. But Alvarez wouldn't quit. Neither team is dominating right now. That means this game could swing either way. Burrows pitches for the Astros. deGrom takes the ball for Texas. Both teams need this win badly. Whoever scores early and keeps scoring wins this matchup.