Arizona Diamondbacks vs Houston Astros Preview
Today's Starting Matchup
Today's starting pitching matchup features Arizona Diamondbacks's Merrill Kelly (9-12, 5.08 ERA) against Houston Astros's Cristian Javier (1-5, 6.45 ERA).
Arizona Diamondbacks's Merrill Kelly posts an shaky 5.08 ERA this season, while Cristian Javier has been struggling at 6.45. There is a clear gap in starting pitching quality.
Advanced metrics: Merrill Kelly — FIP 5.56, K% 15.4%, 141.7 IP / Cristian Javier — FIP 4.96, K% 20.6%, 44.7 IP
Team Season Comparison
2026 season record: Arizona Diamondbacks 74-67 (.525), Houston Astros 72-69 (.511).
Recent form: Arizona Diamondbacks on a 1-game win streak, Houston Astros on a 2-game win streak.
Based on starting pitching, Arizona Diamondbacks holds the edge.
Bullpen Analysis
Arizona Diamondbacks bullpen: 14 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: Brandon Pfaadt 3.49 ERA, 73K in 111.0IP, Brandyn Garcia (Setup) 2.20 ERA, 49K in 41.0IP.
Houston Astros bullpen: 14 relievers on the active roster. Key arms: AJ Blubaugh (Setup) 3.02 ERA, 87K in 86.1IP, Bennett Sousa (Setup) 6.23 ERA, 23K in 21.2IP, Bryan Abreu (Closer) 3.86 ERA, 69K in 53.2IP.