Houston staved off a pivotal moment by beating Texas 6-3 as Yordan Alvarez exited with a left ankle sprain, casting a cloud over a critical week. Rookie Zach Cole punctuated the night with a go-ahead homer, while Jeremy Peña delivered the decisive two-run hit and the bullpen weathered injuries and early miscues. The win trims Houston’s West race gap and keeps their season-series chance alive, setting up a high-stakes stretch run for fantasy rosters.

With Alvarez’s status uncertain, Altuve could move into a bigger role if he needs DH time, and Cole’s breakout adds a fresh spark to the lineup. The Astros’ resiliency—Peña’s timely hitting, Cole’s home run prowess, and defensive plays—provides a glimmer of upside for late-season fantasy and betting angles as the race tightens.

Texas Rangers enter their final 11 regular-season games with five regulars sidelined and a tight return window. Bochy is balancing urgency with a practical rehab timeline as Mahle, Semien, Seager, Coulombe and Haggerty chase time on the field. Mahle’s four scoreless rehab innings keep him in rotation talk, Semien and Seager progress toward returns, Coulombe nears activation, and Haggerty’s ankle issue lingers. A critical series with Houston intensifies the fantasy stakes as roster depth and late-season pivots shape the playoff push.

Texas fell 6-3 at Houston, hampered by miscues and missed chances as they slipped three games back in the AL Wild Card race. A two-run homer by Josh Jung in the fifth gave Texas a brief lead before Yainer Diaz and Houston answered with a go-ahead shot and late insurance. Jack Leiter struggled after a shaky first, and a Beasley call at home capped a frustrating night for the visitors. Fantasy takeaways center on Jung power, Langford’s growing role, and Leiter’s volatility the rest of the series.

With Corey Seager and Marcus Semien nearing returns, Texas will lean on depth and breakout performances to salvage the series. In Houston, Diaz, Cole, and the rest of the Astros' lineup showed the offense still has bite, especially against righties. For fantasy managers, target Jung's power, Langford's development, and Houston’s midseason spark as potential DFS differentiators in the next game.

Yordan Alvarez left ankle sprain after a plate collision, hobbling off in the first inning as Houston built a 2-0 lead over Texas. He had walked earlier and recently returned from a hand injury, posting strong numbers in 18 games with a 1.024 OPS. The Astros immediately reshuffled the outfield, moving Jesús Sánchez to left and bringing rookie Zach Cole into right field.

Houston sits two games up on Texas in the AL West and wild-card chase, while Texas holds a 6-4 season-series edge. Cleveland is within a half-game behind, turning the three-game set into a high-stakes sprint for the final playoff spots.