The Yankees are coming off six straight wins, defeating the Red Sox last night 4-2 at Fenway Park to complete the three-game sweep. The Yankees, during this series, got sufficient and timely hitting from the likes of Amed Rosario, Giancarlo Stanton, Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Aaron Judge.
Cam Schlittler didn’t have his A stuff for the Yankees as their starting pitcher in this series finale, but was still able to give them eight strong innings, allowing just one earned run on a solo home run by Red Sox catcher, and former Yankees farm hand, Carlos Narvaez.
Yankees Looking To Carry Winning Momentum Into Houston This Weekend
The Yankees, now coming off back-to-back sweeps against the Royals and Red Sox, will begin another three-game set, this time in Houston, against an Astros team that has struggled out of the gate this first month of the season with a 10-16 record. It’s no secret that the history between these two franchises is quite significant, dating back to several October matchups in recent years.
Coming into this series, the Astros, on the other hand, have lost four of their last six games. Much of the Astros struggles have come on the pitching side. Houston currently has the league-worst team ERA of 5.81, whereas the Yankees have the lowest in baseball at 3.07.
GettyST. PETERSBURG, FL – APRIL 12: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees throws against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fourth inning of a baseball game at Tropicana Field on April 12, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/Getty Images)
What’s impressive about the Yankees’ team ERA to begin this season is that they are missing several key starting pitchers right now, including Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Clarke Schmidt, who are all recovering from elbow-related injuries. The Astros’ starting rotation, however, has also dealt with significant injuries.
Houston’s ace starter Hunter Brown is currently on the injured list with a right shoulder strain, newly signed Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai is also out dealing with arm fatigue, and back-end rotation arm Hayden Wenenski is dealing with an elbow-related injury.
Astros Lineup Has Been Very Good Despite Pitching Woes
The Astros’ lineup, however, has been one of the best offensively so far. They rank fourth in baseball as a team behind the Braves, Dodgers, and Cubs in home runs (31), batting average (.259), and OPS (.782), according to ESPN. They also have the current MLB home run leader on their team in designated hitter, left-handed hitting Yordan Alvarez, who has 11 home runs on the season already. Alvarez, at the top of the power, has posted an astounding .347 batting average with 26 RBI’s and a 1.245 OPS in 90 plate appearances.
Alvarez has hurt the Yankees a lot in his career, posting a lifetime .305 batting average with 11 home runs and 22 RBIs in 32 career games against the Yankees, according to StatMuse.
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – APRIL 18: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros runs the bases after hitting a home run during the first inning of the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Daikin Park on April 18, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
The Yankees’ lineup has had key contributions to begin this season from guys like Ben Rice, Giancarlo Stanton, and Amed Rosario, but has yet to reach its full potential. The Yankees team’s OPS is just .730, according to ESPN. Even though Aaron Judge has nine home runs already, they are still waiting for him to become typical Judge by his standards, in which right now he’s hitting for a .242 batting average with a .933 OPS. In contrast, his average usually sits in the 300’s and his OPS is well over a thousand.
The Yankees will face Lance McCullers Jr tonight, who’s struggled to begin this season, posting a 6.20 ERA in his first three starts, but was better in his last outing facing the A’s.
The Yankees will send 26-year-old right-hander Will Warren to the mound, who’s had an impressive start to his 2026 season, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.49 ERA, and he’s coming off an eleven-strikeout performance last weekend against Kansas City.
For the Yankees, they will look to keep up the momentum and provide more with the bats, as they are typically known for.
Yankees Ride Six Game Win Streak Into Houston Showdown