The Launch Angle

Earlier in the season, the Astros faced a center fielder shortage. A position where they thought they had a lot of depth was suddenly reduced to just two players with MLB centerfield experience: Brice Matthews and Dustin Harris. Matthews proved a capable centerfielder, and they were able to weather through the lean times in center field until players like Jake Meyers, Taylor Trammell, Zach Cole, Zach Dezenzo and Joey Loperfido returned.

This time it’s shortstop, another premier defensive position. Thankfully, Jeremy Pena, the starting shortstop and 2025 All-Star is among the healthy. Carlos Correa is out for the season though. Braden Shewmake went on the IL with a groin strain at the start of the month, and there’s not been an update for his timetable for return. Nick Allen also hit the IL recently with a hamstring injury. Allen’s hamstring injury is a grade 1, so he doesn’t expect to be out any longer than the minimum 10 days, but you never know, especially with the history of this franchise’s medical staff.

So who’s left on the 40-man roster who has MLB shortstop experience?

That’s it. Yes, Paredes started 4 games at shortstop in 2021 for the Tigers. He committed an error and was worth -1 DRS and -1 OAA. He made on more start at shortstop for the Rays in 2023. I think his shortstop days are behind him. I don’t know you could say they ever really began.

Anyone else with MLB shortstop experience?

Altuve? In a game against the Rangers in 2016, Carlos Correa sprained his ankle running out a groundout in the 5th inning, and came out of the game. Altuve slid over to shortstop to finish the game, while Tony Kemp replaced Altuve at second. Altuve’s 4 innings of shortstop were uneventful. Here’s Altuve fielding an Elvis Andrus grounder to short, and throwing it to the first baseman… Marwin Gonzalez? Hey, if Marwin was there, why did Altuve need to play short?

In 2019, Altuve had his second major league appearance at shortstop. Down 2 runs in the top of the 7th inning against the Angels, Michael Brantley pinch hit for “shortstop” Myles Straw. For the rest of the game, Altuve played shortstop, Kemp moved from left field to second base, and Brantley played left field. These 2 shortstop innings were not uneventful for Altuve, as he was charged with an error missing a relay throw catch.

Okay, well that was a fun trip down Altuve memory lane, but let’s not kid ourselves, Altuve is not an option at shortstop. He’s barely breaking even in the field at second base.

Shay Whitcomb has 2 innings at shortstop in the majors? When did that happen? Last night, actually, when Pena was pulled in the 7th inning off the blowout loss to the Angels. Whitcomb was called up to replace Allen. He’s got experience in both college and the minors at shortstop, so he’s the backup shortstop for now, until Allen gets back. I’ve talked about Whitcomb before. He doesn’t project as MLB caliber for the left side of the infield. His play at third base was so fraught with errors, MLB.com made an entire montage of his poor third base play last spring.

Beyond Shay, the only other healthy player with professional shortstop experience on the 40-man roster is Brice Matthews, who played shortstop in the minors to varying degrees at each level. Matthews can be used at shortstop in a pinch, but there’s a reason why as he was moved up in the minors, he was shifted from shortstop to second base.

So there you have it. Until Nick Allen comes back, if Jeremy Pena can’t play shortstop, we’re looking at more Shay Whitcomb or the shortstop debut of Brice Matthews.

Whitcomb and Matthews did turn a double play together last night, when they took the middle infield together. But I don’t really want either as backup shortstop for any extended period of time.

Hurry back, Nick! (And congratulations on becoming a father today!)

Astros @ Angels Game Information and Gamethread Details

The Astros will try to take the series with a win tonight. Really to keep up with the Mariners, who have won 2 in a row, the Astros needed to take all 3 games against this last place AL team, but after dropping the second game in pathetic fashion, the goal is now to get out of Anaheim with 2 out of 3.

Peter Lambert takes the mound for the Astros. Lambert, although no longer eliciting the swings and misses he did from his first 2 outings in 2026, has consistently given the Astros at least 5 innings each start, doing so in 8 of 9 starts, with 3 or less earned runs in 7 of the last 8 starts. He has recorded the win in his last 3 starts and carries a 5-4 record on the season with a 3.55 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. His K/9 on the season is 8.9 and like most Astros pitchers, walks are a problem with a 4.4 BB/9.

Reid Detmers, LHP, starts for the Angels, returning to the starting rotation after spending 2025 in the pen. He has a 4.26 ERA over 13 starts with a 1.14 WHIP. He is a high strikeout pitcher, with a 10.7 K/9, and ranks 4th in the AL with 88 K’s on the season. His BB/9 is 2.7

Detmers has pitched better than his mid 4’s ERA would suggest, his xERA is just 2.93, 84th percentile in baseball. He doesn’t have a blazing fastball, but his slider rates highly. These are his main two pitches and the combination draws a lot of chases and a lot of swings and misses.

This being Detmers’ sixth year with the division rival Angels, a number of Astros have experience facing him. Altuve, in particular has hit him well with 7 hits, including 2 home runs in 21 at-bats for a 1.036 OPS. Yordan Alvarez is 5 for 16 against Detmers with 3 doubles and a .921 OPS.

This post will be updated with starting lineups as they are made available.

The game will be broadcast at 8:38 p.m. CT on SCHN with radio coverage on KBME 790 AM.

We hope you will join us and the rest of the Launch Angle community for the game! The turnout has been amazing on the TLA Discord Server for the game threads.

Join us again for today’s game. Just join the Discord server using this link: https://launch-angle.com/discord .

For more detailed instructions, please see the Guide to the Launch Angle.

If you’ve participated in game threads on other Astros sites in the past, you will probably see a lot of familiar names. Chat, lurk, do whatever! (But please say “hi”, so we know you’re not a bot.)

Feature photo from  @astros on X,  Source Link.