Houston Astros vs Texas Rangers Preview
Today's Starting Matchup
Today's starting pitching matchup features Houston Astros's Mike Burrows (2-6, 5.75 ERA) against Texas Rangers's Jacob deGrom (3-4, 3.86 ERA).
Texas Rangers's Jacob deGrom posts an league-average 3.86 ERA this season, while Mike Burrows has been struggling at 5.75. There is a clear gap in starting pitching quality.
Advanced metrics: Mike Burrows — FIP 5.39, K% 19.4%, 56.3 IP / Jacob deGrom — FIP 4.24, K% 29.8%, 53.7 IP
Team Season Comparison
2026 season record: Houston Astros 24-32 (.429), Texas Rangers 25-29 (.463).
Recent form: Houston Astros on a 1-game losing streak, Texas Rangers on a 1-game win streak.
Based on starting pitching, Texas Rangers holds the edge.
Bullpen Analysis
Houston Astros bullpen: 13 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: AJ Blubaugh 4.81 ERA, 24K in 33.2IP, Bryan Abreu 6.88 ERA, 21K in 17.0IP.
Texas Rangers bullpen: 13 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Cal Quantrill 2.79 ERA, 13K in 19.1IP, Chris Martin 7.56 ERA, 7K in 8.1IP, Gavin Collyer 2.70 ERA, 11K in 13.1IP.
Win Probability
Projected win probability: Houston Astros 39% vs Texas Rangers 61%
Factors: Texas Rangers's starter owns the lower ERA, Texas Rangers's home-field advantage. Of course, baseball's inherent randomness means actual results may differ.
Key Tactical Points
Workload comparison: Mike Burrows averages 5.6 IP per start vs. Jacob deGrom at 5.4 IP. Getting six-plus innings from the starter significantly eases the bullpen burden.
Mike Burrows has allowed 12 HR this season — a concern against a lineup with extra-base power.