Houston's run prevention machine has broken down in July, putting undue pressure on a lineup that is ill-equipped to carry an entire team.

From the beginning of the off-season, I flagged pitching depth as a potential problem in 2025. The Astros chose not to replace Verlander and Kikuchi with free agent signings.

The Houston Astros have two starting pitching problems. There could be a solution to both of those problems in one trade. First, the Astros have a starting rotation on the injured list.

The Astros runs came by way of the long ball, with the freshly-turned-33-year-old Tejada going deep in the fourth and Carlos Lee awaking from a slumber to go deep in the ninth.

Jun 24, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Daikin Park.