Astros have pitchers aplenty available against Mariners

With two off days framing their series against the Seattle Mariners, the Astros had three starters in the bullpen for the weekend: right-handers Ronel Blanco, Tatsuya Imai and Cristian Javier.

Blanco covered the final four innings of the Astros' 10-5 loss on Saturday, allowing five runs on seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts. It marked his first relief appearance in five outings since his return from Tommy John surgery.

With Hunter Brown (3-2, 3.68 ERA) on the mound Sunday to close the home series with the Mariners, manager Joe Espada hopes to not have to use another starter.

Still, he is happy to have some extra availability in the bullpen as he ponders setting up the rotation for the American League West-leading Astros into the final month of the season.

"It gives you some flexibility," Espada said of the starters in the bullpen. "But again, we need to find spots for those guys to pitch. We're about to go on a long stretch of games here pretty soon. We play 13 straight (starting Aug. 25). So some of those guys will be getting plenty of opportunities."

Brown allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts over five innings in a 4-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday. After winning his final two starts in July, Brown has allowed six runs on eight hits and five walks with 12 strikeouts over 11 innings in two winless starts this month.

Brown is 1-4 with a 4.09 ERA in nine career starts against the Mariners. In his most recent start against Seattle on Sept. 19, 2025, Brown allowed two runs on five hits -- including two solo homers -- and two walks with nine strikeouts over six innings in a 4-0 loss.

Right-hander Bryan Woo (8-8, 4.15 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Mariners in the series rubber match. He threw five scoreless innings against the New York Yankees on Tuesday, allowing three hits and one walk with five strikeouts but did not factor into the decision of a 4-1 loss. It marked his seventh start this season with at least five scoreless innings pitched and three or fewer hits.

Woo is 3-2 with a 2.86 ERA in six career starts against the Astros. In his appearance in Houston on May 12, he allowed two runs on four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts over six innings in a 10-2 victory.

When Mariners closer Andres Munoz allowed five runs (four earned) in the bottom of the 10th inning of the series opener on Friday, it marked the first time that he allowed multiple runs in an appearance since June 14, when he surrendered two runs on one hit and one walk without recording an out against the Washington Nationals.

Munoz, who has a career-worst 4.47 ERA but a career-best 14.2 strikeouts per nine innings this season, was 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA and 11 saves across 19 appearances between those outings.

"He's been through the league a long time, and he understands there are ups and downs to it," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Munoz. "I don't anticipate it being a problem for him.

"The way he's throwing the ball lately and the process that he's had has been outstanding, and I think that's what you lean into at this point and you gain your confidence."