Astros host the Athletics to open 3-game series

Oakland Athletics (44-99, fifth in the AL West) vs. Houston Astros (82-62, first in the AL West)

Houston; Monday, 8:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Athletics: Mason Miller (0-2, 3.09 ERA, .90 WHIP, 25 strikeouts); Astros: Framber Valdez (11-9, 3.30 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 168 strikeouts)

: Astros -304, Athletics +243; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros open a three-game series at home against the Oakland Athletics on Monday.

Houston is 82-62 overall and 37-35 in home games. Astros hitters have a collective .437 slugging percentage to rank sixth in the majors.

Oakland is 44-99 overall and 20-52 in road games. The Athletics are 29-78 in games when they have given up a home run.

The teams meet Monday for the 11th time this season. The Astros are ahead 9-1 in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Yordan Alvarez leads the Astros with 26 home runs while slugging .583. Alex Bregman is 15-for-42 with five doubles and four RBI over the last 10 games.

Brent Rooker has 18 doubles, a triple, 23 home runs and 57 RBI while hitting .240 for the Athletics. Zack Gelof is 12-for-42 with four doubles and a home run over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 6-4, .307 batting average, 4.40 ERA, outscored opponents by 25 runs

Athletics: 5-5, .258 batting average, 4.30 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs

INJURIES: Astros: Ryne Stanek: 15-Day IL (ankle), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Athletics: Richard Lovelady: 60-Day IL (arm), James Kaprielian: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Austin Pruitt: 15-Day IL (forearm), JJ Bleday: 10-Day IL (knee), Angel Felipe: 15-Day IL (elbow), Freddy Tarnok: 15-Day IL (calf), Yacksel Rios: 60-Day IL (finger), Zach Jackson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Drew Rucinski: 60-Day IL (illness)

------

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.