Houston Astros

Yordan Alvarez went 2-for-5 with a home run, a double, two runs scored, and one RBI in the Astros' 4-3 victory over the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: This performance might hint at a turning point for Alvarez, who has been struggling with a modest .245 batting average this season. His power display, adding his eighth homer and fifth double of the year, offers some hope for fantasy managers looking for more consistent production. However, while the power numbers are encouraging, his overall value could be hampered if he doesn't improve his contact rate and batting average on balls in play (BABIP).

Josh Hader secured his fourth save of the season as the Astros edged out the Yankees 4-3.

Fantasy Impact: He allowed one hit and struck out one in 1.1 innings of work, maintaining a clean slate with no earned runs. Despite a rocky start to the season with a 5.63 ERA and a WHIP of 1.38, this performance could hint at a turnaround. His high K/9 rate of 14.1 remains a silver lining for fantasy managers, suggesting that his strikeout ability is intact. However, his elevated BABIP of .382 indicates some bad luck, which might regress to the mean. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his next few outings to see if this game marks a real shift or just a temporary respite in his otherwise tumultuous season.

Ronel Blanco pitched 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and four walks while striking out five in Thursday's 4-3 victory over the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: Despite a somewhat shaky control that led to four walks, Blanco managed to limit the damage and secure his fifth win of the season. His ERA slightly rose to 2.23, but it remains impressive, as does his WHIP, which hovers just above 1.00. While his FIP suggests some regression might be on the horizon, his ability to maintain a low BABIP and a decent strikeout rate should keep him relevant in fantasy lineups. Owners should continue to monitor his walk rates, but for now, Blanco remains a solid starting option in most formats.

Cristian Javier (neck) is expected to be activated from the IL and start Saturday vs the Tigers. (Source: Chandler Rome on X)

Fantasy Impact: Javier has been out since April 14th due to neck discomfort but looks ready to return to the Astros rotation. He threw 68 pitches in his most recent rehab start, so it's possible that he won't see a full workload right away. Framber Valdez will start on Friday and Justin Verlander will take the mound on Sunday.

Jose Altuve went 1-for-5 with an RBI in the Astros' 9-4 defeat to the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: Despite a less than stellar performance in this game, Altuve's season remains impressive, boasting a .331 batting average and contributing consistently with 49 hits, 7 home runs, and 25 runs scored over 36 games. His ability to maintain a high batting average and solid wOBA of .396 suggests that this game is likely just a minor blip in an otherwise productive season. Fantasy managers should continue to start him with confidence, expecting a bounce-back in his next appearances.

Spencer Arrighetti struggled in Wednesday's 9-4 loss to the Yankees, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out four over five innings.

Fantasy Impact: This performance continues a troubling trend for Arrighetti, whose season ERA ballooned to 8.44 with a WHIP of 2.02 across five starts. Despite a solid 10.5 K/9 rate, his high BABIP of .413 and poor strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.92 suggest that he's been both unlucky and inefficient. Fantasy managers should be wary of using Arrighetti in their lineups until he shows signs of substantial improvement, as his current form presents too much risk for negative impact on team statistics.

Jeremy Pena went 3-for-4 with a home run and an RBI in the Astros' 9-4 defeat to the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: His performance included a solo home run, contributing to his season tally. Despite the team's loss, Pena's individual performance continues to bolster his fantasy value, maintaining a robust .326 batting average through 36 games. His consistent hitting, coupled with a decent mix of power and speed, makes him a valuable asset in most fantasy formats. His low strikeout rate and solid wOBA suggest sustained success, so fantasy managers should continue to deploy him with confidence.

Kyle Tucker went 1-for-5 with a home run and an RBI in the Astros' 9-4 defeat to the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: Despite the team's loss, Tucker managed to add to his home run tally, bringing his season total to 11. His performance this season, characterized by a solid .276 batting average and a .407 wOBA, continues to make him a valuable asset in fantasy lineups. However, his strikeout rate and BABIP suggest some volatility in his performance. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on his ability to maintain power numbers while managing strikeouts as the season progresses.

Jose Urquidy is scheduled to make a rehab start this weekend with Triple-A Sugar Land. (Source: Matt Kawahara on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Urquidy has yet to pitch in a game this season after suffering inflammation in his forearm. He may need to make at least a few rehab starts as a result.

Chas McCormick reportedly could start a rehab assignment this weekend (Source: Matt Kawahara on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: McCormick recently started a running program. He has been sidelined for the past couple of weeks due to a right hamstring strain.

Astros’ manager Joe Espada said Wednesday that Ryan Pressly hasn’t pitched since Friday due to soreness in his lower back. (Source: Matt Kawahara on Twitter)

Fantasy Impact: Pressly played catch on Wednesday and Espada said he “felt OK” and termed it “nothing worrisome right now.” He can be considered as day-to-day.

Justin Verlander had a rough outing in Tuesday's 10-3 loss to the Yankees, allowing seven earned runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out only two over five innings.

Fantasy Impact: This performance marks a significant downturn for Verlander, whose season ERA ballooned to 4.43 and WHIP to 1.39. With a declining strikeout rate now at 6.0 K/9 and a FIP of 6.17, fantasy managers should be concerned about his effectiveness moving forward.

Joey Loperfido is not in the Astros lineup on Tuesday against the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: Loperfido is hitting .267 since being called up from Triple-A. Jake Meyers is starting in center field on Tuesday for Houston.

Jake Meyers is in the Astros lineup on Tuesday against the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: Meyers is hitting No. 9 in the lineup and starting in center field. He is hitting .232 with three home runs so far this season.

Yainer Diaz is not in the Astros lineup on Tuesday against the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: Diaz gets the day off with Victor Caratini starting behind the plate for Houston. He is hitting .274 so far this season.

Victor Caratini is in the Astros lineup on Tuesday against the Yankees.

Fantasy Impact: Caratini is starting behind the plate for Houston with Yainer Diaz out of the lineup. He is hitting .262 with two home runs so far this season.

J.P. France is dealing with a shoulder injury that could sideline him for "a while." (Source: The Athletic)

Fantasy Impact: France dealt with a shoulder injury in spring training, but he was able to get healthy for the start of the season. He struggled across five starts before he was optioned to Triple-A.

Hunter Brown allowed two runs on five hits over 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and four walks on Sunday against the Mariners.

Fantasy Impact: Brown allowed two runs on the afternoon, but it could have been a lot worse with all the runners he had on base including four walks. He still carries a 8.89 ERA in what has been a super slow start to the season for him.

Framber Valdez allowed five earned runs on nine hits and one walk while striking out three over 5 1/3 innings in Saturday's 5-0 loss to the Mariners.

Fantasy Impact: This outing marked a rough patch for Valdez, pushing his ERA to 3.97 and WHIP to 1.41 through his first four starts of the season. The high BABIP of .371 suggests some bad luck, but the low strikeout rate of 7.5 K/9 and modest 2.71 strikeout-to-walk ratio indicate that Valdez might be struggling to dominate hitters as effectively as fantasy managers would hope. His FIP standing at 4.05 also suggests that his underlying metrics are not far off from his surface stats, hinting that improvement might not be imminent. Fantasy managers should consider these trends carefully when deciding on his role in their rotations moving forward.

Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) threw a light bullpen session Saturday. (Source: Houston Chronicle on Twitter )

Fantasy Impact: This marks the first time that McCullers has thrown from the top of the mound since undergoing surgery last June. He is reportedly still has a least a month before beginning a rehab assignment.