After getting crushed in a three-game sweep, the Houston Astros will try to regroup as they continue their road trip with a four-game showdown against the Baltimore Orioles.
Orioles at a Glance
- Record: 59-67 (5th in AL East)
- Games Back: 14.5 from AL East lead, 8.5 from the final AL Wild Card
- Home Record: 30-30 (Astros on the road: 31-31)
- Vs. AL West: 16-11 (Astros vs. AL East: 11-11)
- Last 10 Games: 6-4 [LLLWWWLWWW] (Astros: 4-6 [WWLWLWLLLL])
- 2025 Record vs. Houston: 2-1 (Series in Houston, Aug. 15–17)
- All-Time vs. Houston: 36-48
What’s Changed Since They Last Met
When the teams last clashed, Baltimore humiliated Houston with a 22-5 beatdown—coming within one Urias hit of a perfect game. The Orioles rode that momentum into Boston, sweeping the Red Sox and finishing a 5-1 road trip against playoff-caliber teams.
The O’s may still be buried in the standings, but their crop of young prospects is starting to show flashes of a brighter future. If the kids keep producing, GM Mike Elias (or whoever is calling the shots) may finally be pushed to trade for real pitching help. And with billionaire owner David Rubenstein promising to spend, Orioles fans might even dream of a front-line ace arriving this winter.
Orioles Team Leaders
Offense
- HR: Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg (15 each)
- RBI: Gunnar Henderson (57)
- Batting Avg: Gunnar Henderson (.281)
- OPS: Gunnar Henderson (.824)
Pitching
- ERA: Dean Kremer (3.97)
- Wins: Tomoyuki Sugano (10)
- Saves: Felix Bautista (19)
- WHIP: Dean Kremer (1.21)
(Other standouts not eligible for ERA title: Trevor Rogers 1.41 ERA, Felix Bautista 2.60 ERA, Keenan Akin 3.38 ERA)
Projected Pitching Matchups
- Thu, Aug 21 @ 6:15 p.m. CDT: Jason Alexander (HOU, 3-1, 4.74) vs. Brandon Young (BAL, 1-6, 5.68)
- Fri, Aug 22 @ 6:05 p.m. CDT: Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU, 2-4, 6.90) vs. Cade Povich (BAL, 2-6, 4.98)
- Sat, Aug 23 @ 6:05 p.m. CDT: Cristian Javier (HOU, 1-1, 3.38) vs. Dean Kremer (BAL, 9-9, 3.97)
- Sun, Aug 24 @ 12:35 p.m. CDT: Spencer Arrighetti (HOU, 1-4, 6.94) vs. Trevor Rogers (BAL, 6-2, 1.41)
Orioles Probable Starters (BA/OBP/SLG)
- C: Adley Rutschman (.227/.310/.373)
- 1B: Coby Mayo (.204/.277/.357)
- 2B: Jackson Holliday (.231/.306/.389)
- 3B: Jordan Westburg (.276/.326/.473)
- SS: Gunnar Henderson (.281/.353/.470)
- LF: Dylan Beavers (.286/.444/.357) [Debuted Aug. 17 in Houston]
- CF: Colton Cowser (.210/.278/.390)
- RF: Jermiah Jackson (.333/.348/.444)
- DH: Samuel Basallo (.300/.364/.400) [Debuted Aug. 17 in Houston]
The Orioles’ offense hasn’t completely transformed, but their recent surge is undeniable. They’re still bottom-half in most MLB categories—22nd in batting average, 24th in OBP—but they’ve climbed to 18th in runs scored, thanks in part to their explosive series in Houston.
A big question: the health of Jordan Westburg (ankle) and Adley Rutschman (abdominal), both day-to-day.
Orioles Pitching Outlook
Baltimore’s rotation remains battered, but they’ve been effective lately. Dean Kremer continues to dominate the Astros, holding a career 1.42 ERA against Houston. Meanwhile, Trevor Rogers has been a breakout force with a 1.41 ERA.
Despite still ranking near the bottom in ERA (26th), WHIP (26th), and BAA (27th), the O’s arms have allowed more than three runs just once in their last eight games, including three shutouts. Facing an Astros offense that’s been shut out four times in five games, Baltimore might just keep padding those numbers.
Player to Watch
Jackson Holliday (2B)
While Gunnar Henderson remains the star, Holliday’s clutch hitting against Houston stands out. In Baltimore last season, he delivered a bases-clearing double that sunk the Astros. He’s now locked in at second base and heating up at the right time.
Injury Report
Baltimore is rolling, but the IL list is still long:
- Adley Rutschman (abdomen), Jordan Westburg (ankle): Day-to-Day
- Felix Bautista (shoulder): Out until 2026-27
- Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, Albert Suarez: Expected late August return
- Gary Sanchez (knee): September return
- Grayson Rodriguez (elbow): 2026 return
- Plus several others on long-term IL
Intangibles
Talk about a momentum swing: Baltimore has gone from being written off to suddenly looking like a spoiler. They’re unlikely to sneak into the Wild Card, but if they claw back to .500, it would be a massive boost heading into 2026.
Houston, meanwhile, looks lost. They followed the Baltimore massacre with a sweep at the hands of the Tigers. Their pitching depth is shaky, the bullpen has been a disaster, and the offense has gone ice cold. Four shutouts in five games is alarming.
The only silver lining? Seattle is struggling too, leaving Houston with a faint lifeline. Maybe Camden Yards—where Houston has historically played well—can provide some relief.
Series Coverage
- Thursday, Aug 21: FOX (National)
- Friday, Aug 22: MLB Network (Out-of-Network)
Houston:
- Watch: Space City Home Network
- Listen: KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, TUDN 93.3 FM
Baltimore:
- Watch: MASN 2, MASN+
- Listen: 98 Rock 97.9 FM, WBAL 1090 AM
👉 Houston’s season is hanging by a thread. If the bats don’t wake up soon, this Baltimore series could turn into another nightmare.
