Guardians and Astros Clash in Weekend Series Starting Friday Night

NEW YORK — The Cleveland Guardians welcome the Houston Astros for a three-game series at Progressive Field starting Friday night.

The first game kicks off at 7:10 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CLEGuardians.TV and WTAM 1100. WKYC Channel 3 will also show Friday’s game, with the MLB Network airing the matchup on Sunday.

Friday’s probable pitching matchup features Guardians’ left-hander Logan Allen (3-3, 4.22 ERA) against Astros’ rookie left-hander Colton Gordon (0-1, 5.94 ERA). Saturday’s game is set for 4:10 p.m. with Gavin Williams facing Hunter Brown, and the final game on Sunday at 1:40 p.m. will pair Tanner Bibee against Lance McCullers Jr.

The Guardians have struggled against the Astros in previous encounters, going 1-4 last year. This leaves Houston with a slight overall lead in their matchups, at 46-45.

The Astros, entering the series with a 33-28 record, have recently shown strength, winning seven of their last 10 games. Star players like Isaac Paredes lead the team in home runs and runs batted in. Last year, Jose Altuve had a solid performance against Cleveland, hitting .444.

The Guardians come into the series with a 33-27 record but have faced challenges recently, managing only eight wins in their last 18 games, including a 2-8 record against Houston.

Both teams are dealing with injuries. The Astros have nine players on the injured list, including key pitchers Ronel Blanco and Cristian Javier, while the Guardians have several absentees as well, including starter Shane Bieber.

Cleveland will be looking to capitalize on their home field advantage as they face the inexperienced Gordon. Following a recent bullpen appearance, Allen hopes to regain his starting form, aiming for consistency after a season marked by erratic performances.

This series matches two closely matched teams that could influence each other’s playoff chances. With the Guardians looking to rebound and the Astros in form, Friday’s opener promises to be an exciting matchup.