Houston Astros: Detroit Tigers on deck

When or: Friday at 5:40 p.m., Saturday at 5:10 p.m., Sunday at 12:40 p.m.; Comerica Park.

Radio: 790 AM, 93.3 FM (Spanish), 1010 AM (Spanish).

Pitchers: Friday, LHP Framber Valdez (1-1, 3.97) vs. RHP Casey Mize (1-1, 3.98); Saturday, RHP Cristian Javier (2-0, 1.54) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (4-0, 1.90); Sunday, RHP Justin Verlander (1-1, 4.43) vs. RHP Jack Flaherty (0-2, 3.86).

Astros Update (13-24): After saving the finale of a three-game series at Yankee Stadium, fifth-place Houston trails American League West leader Texas by eight games. … With 11 home runs, Kyle Tucker is tied with Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson for the AL lead. … In the first two games of his MLB career as a cleanup hitter, Jeremy Peña is 5 for 7 with a walk. His batting average reached .333, tied with Juan Soto for second in the AL. Jose Altuve is fourth at .327. … Javier’s return gives the Astros four pitchers (Javier, Verlander, Valdez and Ronel Blanco) who started without a hit. According to STATS Perform, only six previous teams could make that claim: the 1996 Mariners (Randy Johnson, Chris Bosio, Terry Mulholland, Bob Milacki), the 1979 Pirates (Bert Blyleven, John Candelaria, Jim Bibby, Dock Ellis), the Pirates of 1975 (Bert Blyleven, John Candelaria, Jim Bibby, Dock Ellis). The A’s (Vida Blue, Ken Holtzman, Dick Bosman, Sonny Siebert), the 1973 Angels (Nolan Ryan, Bill Singer, Clyde Wright, Steve Barber), the 1972 A’s (Blue, Holtzman, Catfish Hunter, Joe Horlen) and the 1917 Browns. (Bob Groom, Ernie Koob, Dave Davenport and Earl Hamilton).

Tigers update (19-18): Detroit has lost five of its last six games, losing three of three to the Yankees and two of three to the Guardians, and sits in fourth place in the American League Central, 4½ games behind division leader Cleveland. … Skubal, who went 4-0 with a 0.90 ERA last September, continued to develop into one of the best starting pitchers in the American League. His 0.77 WHIP ranks third in the majors and he has a 53:6 strikeout-to-score ratio over 42⅔ innings this season. … Leader Riley Greene (.254/.373/.515) has nine home runs, tied for fourth in the AL, and has hit safely in 13 of his last 16 games. …Second baseman Andy Ibañez slashed .389/.421/.778 in May and on Tuesday became the first Tiger with four hits, runs and RBIs in a single game since Miguel Cabrera in 2013. …The save -court Javier Báez succeeded in his last match. 19 attempted steals dating back to September 2022. The number would be higher without the disappointing blow he’s dealt Detroit since signing a six-year, $140 million contract in December 2021. Báez wears a slash line of .176/.214/.241. in this series. His line in three seasons as a Tiger: .225/.267/.350.