Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) is pulled by manager Joe Espada during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Ten days at Daikin Park offered the Houston Astros an opportunity. Hosting three division foes presented a first-place team the chance to bury a nemesis or, at least, bolster its lead against the owners of the two worst records in the American League. Command of a woeful AL West lay ready to claim.
Houston has not seized it. The Seattle Mariners rebounded from a walk-off loss to win a weekend series. The Los Angeles Angels, a team that tore down at the trade deadline and is playing out the season, then took two of three from the Astros, routing them 18-3 in a dreadful finale Thursday night.
Baseball defies guarantees, but rising to the occasion can be required of a club with playoff aspirations. The Angels had not won a road series since late May. The Astros scored seven runs over three games in the series. In the rubber match, they surrendered their most runs in a game since 2019.
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“I don’t think there’s any easy wins in the big leagues,” said first baseman Christian Walker. “I think we’re just in a little bit of a patch. I think we’re confident, feel like we’re at a really good spot moving forward for the rest of the season. And I’d say generally the vibe is high. Just got to get it back on track.”
The Astros have lost four of five series since the Aug. 3 trade deadline. Their offense has scored three or fewer runs in nine of 15 games in that span, including all three games against the Angels. Their tenuous rotation has led to using seven different starting pitchers during it.
Thursday’s defeat dropped the Astros back to the .500 mark, at 64-64. For all that, they maintain a one-game division lead over the Rangers, with the Mariners four games back. Some solace must be gleaned from that, even in a division where no team has a run differential better than minus-46.
“We control our own destiny,” manager Joe Espada said. “We have to get rid of this series and get ready to play tomorrow. Our guys are very much aware of what we need to do. They know that we control our own destiny.”
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For that to remain true will require the Astros to reverse a troubling trajectory. They are 6-9 since the trade deadline, but that mark could easily be worse. In two of the wins, they were down to their final strike before rallying. In another, the San Francisco Giants gifted them a game-tying run.
Wednesday, they extracted 3⅔ innings from a starter making his major-league debut before riding a scoreless bullpen effort to a win. An Angels offense with the fewest runs scored in baseball since July 1 then amassed a season-high 18 runs on 18 hits against them to decide the series.
Houston Astros Tatsuya Imai (45) reacts after starting off Los Angeles Angels Zach Neto with a ball during the seventh inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Optics of Thursday were awful. After their most consistent starter this season, Peter Lambert, allowed nine runs, the Astros used their offseason’s marquee free-agent signing, Tatsuya Imai, in three mop-up innings and a position player, LaMonte Wade Jr., to pitch the ninth inning.
Their struggling lineup, missing leadoff man Jeremy Peña to a hand contusion, totaled five hits in seven innings against Grayson Rodriguez, who entered with a 7.17 ERA and allowed two unearned runs. Boos sounded at times in the later innings from what remained of an announced crowd of 20,934.
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Afterward, several Astros who spoke to reporters portrayed the blowout as one loss. Espada dismissed the idea of convening the club about it. Yordan Alvarez, through an interpreter, deemed it “just another loss” despite the “kind of eye-opening” amount of runs allowed.
“I think it’s a flush and move on,” said Walker, who did not play Thursday. “There’s always things to learn, but yeah, I think games like that are so few and far between that you chalk it up to a weird day and keep it moving.”
The upswing that followed a 20-31 start suggests the Astros’ ability to rebound. Some elements of this loss, still, invite scrutiny.
Lambert’s line was an outlier for the right-hander and Houston rotation savior who entered with a 3.11 ERA. It also increased his innings this season to 137 between the majors and Triple-A, already the most Lambert has thrown in a season since 2019, when he totaled 149 1/3 innings in the Rockies’ system.
Houston Astros Bryan King (74) reacts after hitting Los Angeles Angels Wade Meckler to a pitch during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
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Houston Astros pitcher LaMonte Wade Jr. (31) delivers during the ninth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
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Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) tries to throw out Los Angeles Angels Vaughn Grissom at first during the seventh inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros relief pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) delivers during the seventh inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
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Houston Astros relief pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) is seen in the dugout during the sixth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros relief pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) delivers during the sixth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros relief pitcher Tatsuya Imai (45) delivers during the sixth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Yainer Diaz (21) hits a single during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Los Angeles Angels Wade Meckler (53) is tended to by a trainer alongside Houston Astros catcher Christian Vázquez (2) after being hit by a pitch from relief pitcher Bryan King during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Los Angeles Angels Wade Meckler (53) is checked on by Houston Astros catcher Christian Vázquez (2) after being hit by a pitch from relief pitcher Bryan King during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros relief pitcher Bryan King (74) delivers during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) fields a single by Los Angeles Angels Adam Frazier during the fifth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after being pulled during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) reacts as he walks back to the dugout after being pulled during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) throws to first in front of left fielder Taylor Trammell after fielding a fly ball by Los Angeles Angels Nolan Schanuel during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a double during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Nick Allen (20) reacts after hitting a single during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Nick Allen (20) hits a single during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston shortstop Astros Nick Allen (20) misses a throw to second as Los Angeles Angels Adam Frazier steals second base during the third inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
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Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez (44) beats the tag by Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to score on a wild pitch during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
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Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez (44) beats the tag by Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez to score on a wild pitch during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Isaac Paredes (15) reacts after hitting a single during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros Isaac Paredes (15) hits a single during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston shortstop Astros Nick Allen (20) tags out Los Angeles Angels Zach Neto (9) during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) fields throw to second as Los Angeles Angels Vaughn Grissom (5) steals second base during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) delivers during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
Houston Astros starting pitcher Peter Lambert (38) delivers during the first inning of an MLB baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026.
Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle
By not adding pitching at the trade deadline, the Astros’ front office essentially bet on in-house starting options to carry them. Lambert has done that in a rotation littered with question marks behind himself and Hunter Brown, with his workload reaching unfamiliar levels as a result.
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Lambert said Thursday he “felt great” and that “stuff-wise I thought it was actually pretty good.” Espada said he is not seeing signs of fatigue in Lambert and attributed the damage against him to “just pitches out over the plate.” It marked the first time in nine starts Lambert allowed more than two earned runs.
More prolonged, at this point, is the funk in which Houston’s offense is mired. Its lineup is averaging 3.7 runs across its last 15 games, batting .217 with 15 home runs in that stretch. Opposing starters regularly have worked deep into games. Multiple key hitters are struggling.
Peña, who did not play Thursday a day after being hit on the right hand by a pitch, is hitting .107 since Aug. 3. Alvarez is batting .226 with one home run. Walker is batting .167 with one home run. Daulton Varsho, the Astros’ lone trade deadline addition, is hitting .121 with two extra-base hits since arriving.
Isaac Paredes, Jose Altuve and Cam Smith have all been productive since the deadline. Still, the overall results may underscore the extent to which Peña and Alvarez, in particular, drive their offense. Alvarez has 10 walks in 64 plate appearances since Aug. 3, as well, yet has two extra-base hits in that span.
“It feels normal,” Alvarez said of his swing, through interpreter Otto Loor. “The beautiful thing about this sport is that you can come out here and get back to doing your job. But I feel normal out there.”
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Walker attributed the offense’s numbers to “a general lack of traffic” but said he does not believe hitters are pressing additionally amid the dip.
“I think for me it’s just trying so hard to get something going and jump-start something (and) baseball can be elusive like that,” Walker said. “I truly believe that we’re in a good spot and we’re comfortable, it’s just a matter of getting back to trusting each other and having fun on the field.”
The Angels have the ninth-highest team ERA in the majors. The A’s, who arrive for a three-game series starting Friday, own the second-highest. Their offense depleted by injuries, the A’s sport a 9-37 record since June 26, making this weekend one on which the Astros arguably must capitalize.
From there, their road gets tougher. They will start a stretch of 13 games with no off-day Tuesday with a week in New York, playing the Yankees and Mets. Four series after that are all against contending teams. They still control their fate, yet their perch atop the division remains precarious.
“Tomorrow we have an important series coming up,” Alvarez said Thursday night, “and it’s a series that we have to go out there and play our baseball that we know how to play to try and maintain that first place in the division.”