The Houston Astros are running out of time as they compete for the American League West title. Ahead of Tuesday’s matchup against the Seattle Mariners, Houston will be without outfielder Daulton Varsho.
Varsho, 30, was held out of the lineup for the Astros’ series opener against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday. It will be the second game in a row that Varsho will be held out of the lineup. Varsho missed the Astros’ loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 20.
The Astros center fielder is “dealing with a left wrist issue, leading to him being out of the lineup for the second straight game,” wrote Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.
This is not the type of news Houston can deal with down the stretch of the regular season.
Daulton Varsho’s Struggling Tenure With the Astros
Along with the Astros’ struggling season, Daulton Varsho has faced issues of his own since the team traded him from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations at the deadline.
In 41 games while being a part of the club, Varsho is batting .172/.224/.311 with five home runs, 14 RBIs, and three stolen bases. That is a big drop from his 99 games with the Toronto Blue Jays before he was dealt.
Varsho was hitting .243/.311/.535 with seven home runs, 26 RBIs, and nine stolen bases while with the Blue Jays.
Houston decided to trade for the veteran outfielder as he entered the 2026 season on an expiring contract. The rental season the Astros got Varsho for hasn’t panned out for a team outside the American League postseason picture.
Daulton Varsho’s next opportunity to suit up for the Astros is Wednesday.
Looking at the Astros’ Postseason Picture
Despite the Houston Astros’ 77-79 record entering Tuesday, the team is still in a tight race with the Texas Rangers for the American League West division title.
Houston sits just one game behind the Rangers for the division lead. However, Texas has put together a successful stretch of games. Meanwhile, the Astros have hit a rough patch.
The Astros will look to flip the script in a series against the Seattle Mariners after going 4-10 across the previous 14 games. Texas not only took over the division lead during that span, but also posted a much better 8-6 record.
Houston will have to find momentum in the final two series of the regular season. Their remaining schedule includes road series against the Seattle Mariners and the Athletics; two teams who have faced issues of their own in 2026.
Astros Reveal Daulton Varsho Injury Ahead of Game vs. Mariners