Lance McCullers Jr. will rejoin Houston's rotation Friday in Baltimore after a month on the injured list with a finger blister. In 11 starts this season, he owns a 6.90 ERA, and this will be his latest comeback after flexor tendon surgery and a separate IL stint earlier in the year. McCullers threw five innings on 80 pitches in a Sugar Land rehab start and traveled with the Astros for their Detroit series, with coach Joe Espada indicating the blister is cleared for now.

Houston is navigating a busy 10-game stretch with no off day on the horizon, and McCullers could slot in as a sixth starter to help bridge the rotation. Cristian Javier, who left a recent start with illness, rejoined the team but the club hasn’t confirmed his next turn, leaving the Astros in a fluid rotation scenario as they head to Baltimore. The series marks a crucial test for how the Astros will manage innings and bullpen leverage as they chase wins down the stretch.

In the Baltimore set, the Orioles will try to slow the Astros' momentum, and fantasy managers will be watching McCullers closely for mixed league value. If he maintains health and pitches efficiently, he could become a speculative add in deeper formats, especially with the potential for a longer outing as he builds back stamina.

Brandon Young flirted with a no-hitter into the eighth, only to have Ramón Urías break it up with an infield hit that turned into a throwing error, ending the bid and leaving Houston silent at Daikin Park as Baltimore rolled to a 7-0 win.

Young, in his 11th big-league start, rode a fastball up to 95 mph and a cutter, mixing in a curve, splitter and change to navigate a righty-heavy Houston lineup. He exited after eight innings with 93 pitches, six punch-outs and a 83.7 mph average exit velocity against 19 balls in play. Offensively, the Orioles rewarded him with 14 first-half balls in play that yielded timely hits, including Coby Mayo’s two-out homer in the fourth. The Astros’ bats were quiet, with minimal hard contact through six innings, and Valdez yielded four runs, keeping the door open briefly but Baltimore closed it late. Lance McCullers Jr. showed progress on a Sugar Land rehab, signaling depth moves for Houston as the series opened with a notable pitching duel turned one-sided in the Orioles’ favor.

Josh Hader landed on the injured list with a left shoulder strain, forcing Houston to lean on a bullpen committee in a tight win over Boston. In his absence, Espada deployed Enyel De Los Santos and Bennett Sousa in the ninth, with Sousa earning his fifth career save (and fourth this season) after facing one batter. Hader’s August workload has been light but effective, posting a 2.05 ERA and a 4.75 K:BB across multiple multi-inning appearances, a true closer’s backbone that Houston will miss as it fights to hold the AL West lead.

The Astros are also missing a slew of pieces—Isaac Paredes, Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers, and pitchers Ronel Blanco, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis García, and Hayden Wesneski—juicing the bullpen workload and widening the gap in a tight division race. Houston sits one game ahead of Seattle as July faded, with the Mariners 9-1 in a recent stretch while Houston has gone 5-5. With Hader out, Espada is likely to keep a committee approach with Abreu, King, and others stepping up in high-leverage spots, testing fantasy rosters that rely on late-inning wins and save opportunities.

Max Homa's season has been tough, but his John Deere Classic media session cut to a broader issue: the toll of online abuse tied to betting culture and anonymous fans. He spoke about stepping back from social platforms after receiving a vulgar direct message and highlighted the unsettling ease of cruelty online. The piece then widens to show how betting has fueled harassment across sports, including Venmo requests targeting players like Lance McCullers Jr. and Brady Tkachuk, underscoring the mental health cost on athletes and the blurred lines between fan engagement and personal accountability. Venmo's design and policies, MLBPA security protocols, and the push for safer digital spaces are discussed, alongside anecdotes about Scheffler and college athletes to illustrate a growing trend. The analysis weighs the benefits of sports betting for fan participation against the emotional strain it places on players, calling for sharper safeguards without stifling the game’s interactive appeal.

Alex Bregman’s return to Houston produced a power-packed moment as he slugged a first-inning home run off the Astros, drawing a chorus of boos and cheers from a crowd that hasn’t forgotten his departure to Boston. The scene underscored the emotional complexity of a player who helped build a dynasty and still commands reverence in a city that’s shared in his triumphs.

The night threaded together another reunion: Carlos Correa’s return to the Astros after the Twins deadline trade, a video montage honoring his path from draft pick to core star. Manager Joe Espada praised both players, hinting at the electric atmosphere awaiting a division race that remains anything but predictable. Bregman spoke of Houston’s people and memories, while the backdrop—Daikin Park’s fresh name—reminded fans that the past and present remain tightly entwined in this franchise.