Houston Astros starting pitcher Hunter Brown (58) pitches against the Texas Rangers in the first inning at Minute Maid Park on July 12. Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Astros Reveal Pitching Probables For Huge Series with Seattle Mariners

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Brady Farkas | Last updated Jul 18, 2024 4:09 PM ET

The Houston Astros have revealed their side of the pitching matchups for the huge series this weekend with the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.

The Astros enter this series trailing the Mariners by 1.0 game in the American League. They are hoping to tie or overtake the division lead by the end of the weekend. Houston has been to the ALCS or better in each of the last seven seasons and is in position to do it again if they can overtake the M's.

Per Seattle Times reporter Ryan Divish on social media:

Pitching probables for the weekend series vs. the Astros:

Friday: Hunter Brown vs. Luis Castillo

Saturday: Framber Valdez vs. George Kirby

Sunday: Ronel Blanco vs. Bryan Woo

Pitching probables for the weekend series vs. the Astros:

Friday: Hunter Brown vs. Luis Castillo

Saturday: Framber Valdez vs. George Kirby

Sunday: Ronel Blanco vs. Bryan Woo
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) July 18, 2024

The Astros have dealt with an incredible amount of pitching attrition this season but this is the best rotation they can put out there right now. Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy and JP France are out for the season with injuries while Justin Verlander is nursing a neck problem. Lance McCullers and Luis Garcia also aren't back yet.

Brown is 7-6 this season with a 4.39 ERA through 18 starts, but he's been much better of late. He's gone 6.0 innings in each of his last five starts and has only allowed more than two earned runs in one of those outings. He's struck out 105 batters in 98.1 innings and given that the M's have the most strikeouts in the league, he could be primed for a big day.

Valdez is 8-5 this year with a 3.66 ERA. He is coming off a 7.0 inning, 10 strikeout performance against the Miami Marlins on July 10.

Blanco is 9-4 this year with a 2.56 ERA. He's struck out 100 batters in 109.0 innings.

The Astros also catch a break this weekend by not seeing Logan Gilbert on the mound for Seattle. The All-Star will start against the Angels in the following series for the Mariners.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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