Rockies vs Astros Preview: Battle at Coors Field

The Houston Astros are hosting the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Daikin Park. Houston just beat Colorado 3-1 in their last matchup, so the Astros have momentum heading into this game. Both teams are struggling early in the season, with Houston sitting at 8-12 and Colorado at 7-12. However, the Astros have a major advantage at home, where they're 7-3 so far. Ryan Weiss takes the mound for Houston, while Juan Mejia starts for Colorado. The Rockies are dealing with significant injuries, missing Kyle Freeland and Willi Castro. Despite these challenges, Colorado's young core is still fighting hard to stay competitive in every matchup this season.

Yordan Alvarez remains one of baseball's most feared hitters when he's healthy. The left fielder combines incredible power with excellent contact skills, maintaining a career batting average near .300 while also hitting plenty of home runs. Last season, injuries limited him to just 48 games, but when he does play, Alvarez becomes one of the most dominant offensive forces in the league. His presence in the Astros lineup makes Houston dangerous in big moments. Meanwhile, José Altuve continues his Hall of Fame career as the franchise's cornerstone player. Entering his 16th season with Houston, Altuve hit 26 home runs last year and drove in 77 runs, proving he's still a valuable contributor.

Hunter Goodman emerged as one of the Rockies' most exciting young players last season. The 25-year-old catcher had a breakout campaign, earning an All-Star selection while hitting 31 home runs and driving in 91 runs. Producing that kind of power from the catcher position makes Goodman particularly valuable. Catcher is a demanding position where players must crouch behind the plate, frame pitches, and throw out runners. Goodman's combination of offensive power and defensive responsibilities makes him crucial to Colorado's future. The Rockies' pitching staff battles the challenging environment at Coors Field. Veteran arms like José Quintana provide stability while younger pitchers develop. Colorado's survival depends on competitive innings from the rotation and standout performances from young hitters like Goodman.