With Jeremy Pena delivering from the top of the batting order, the Houston Astros will look for another win over the host Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday in the middle matchup of a three-game series.
After Pena hit sixth, fifth and then fourth for the first month of the season, manager Joe Espada opted to move the 2022 Gold Glove shortstop to the top of the order on April 27.
That move came at the request of longtime No. 1 hitter Jose Altuve, who primarily is a left fielder this season, though he was back at second base in Houston’s 4-3 series-opening victory over the Rays on Monday.
The result gave the Astros back-to-back road wins for the first time all season.
The move to leadoff has paid handsomely for Pena. After he didn’t start Sunday in Houston’s 4-3 win over the rival Texas Rangers, Pena was back in the lineup Monday and went 3-for-4 to boost his average to .309.
Hitting just .247 before being the batting order ascent, he has flourished in the role of setting, going 32-for-84 (.381) with three homers and 15 RBIs in 20 games.
“He is really being something more than I expected,” Espada said. “I knew he’s got the potential to be a really exciting all-around player, but right now, what he’s doing, it’s incredible. He’s not backing down from the moment. He’s getting pitches to hit, and he’s not missing them.
“The job he’s doing is outstanding.”
The Astros also will hope for an outstanding performance on Tuesday from a player making his club debut.
On the heels of bad news regarding the rotation — right-handed starter Hayden Wesneski, part of the Kyle Tucker trade with the Chicago Cubs on Dec. 13, will undergo Tommy John surgery after just six starts — Houston will promote Brandon Walter for the start.
The left-hander was 2-1 with a 2.97 ERA in nine games (five starts) from Triple-A Sugar Land this year.
Walter has made just nine major league appearances, all in relief with the Boston Red Sox in 2023, going 0-0 with a 6.26 ERA. He will be making his first appearance against Tampa Bay.
Typically posting a stellar home record when they were in their domed stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla., the Rays have struggled in the New York Yankees’ spring training home in Tampa, falling to 11-18 at the Class-A Florida State League facility with the Monday defeat.
“We’ve got to make some things go our way,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “I really don’t put too much into the home/road splits right now. … We’ve got to play better baseball regardless of the venue.”
Tampa Bay is 10-8 on the road.
Following an 0-5 start through his first five starts, Zack Littell (3-5, 4.31 ERA) has won three times in four starts entering his start on Tuesday.
During the recent span that featured wins over the San Diego Padres, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays in addition to a no-decision against the Milwaukee Brewers, the right-hander has allowed nine runs and 22 hits over 25 1/3 innings for a 3.20 ERA.
In three career starts against Houston, Littell is 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA with a .224 batting average against.
–Field Level Media
