Houston Astros (48-28, first in the AL West) vs. New York Yankees (47-27, first in the AL East)
New York; Friday, 7 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Brad Peacock (6-4, 3.67 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 76 strikeouts) Yankees: James Paxton (4-3, 3.93 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 71 strikeouts)
LINE: Yankees favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 9 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE:
The Yankees are 26-13 on their home turf. New York has hit 121 home runs this season, sixth in the American League. Edwin Encarnacion leads the club with 23, averaging one every 11.1 at-bats.
The Astros are 21-17 on the road. Houston has slugged .470, good for second in in the MLB. Alex Bregman leads the club with a .542 slugging percentage, including 31 extra-base hits and 21 home runs. The Yankees won the last meeting 10-6. Nestor Cortes Jr. earned his second victory and Gleyber Torres went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for New York. Framber Valdez registered his third loss for Houston.
TOP PERFORMERS: Encarnacion leads the Yankees with 30 extra base hits and is batting .238. Cameron Maybin is 10-for-27 with a double, four home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games for New York.
Bregman leads the Astros with 21 home runs home runs and is slugging .542. Yordan Alvarez is 12-for-35 with two doubles, five home runs and 11 RBIs over the last 10 games for Houston.
LAST 10 GAMES: Yankees: 7-3, .290 batting average, 4.50 ERA, outscored opponents by 24 runs
Astros: 4-6, .251 batting average, 4.81 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs
Yankees Injuries: Luis Severino: 60-day IL (shoulder), Jordan Montgomery: 60-day IL (elbow), Jonathan Loaisiga: 60-day IL (shoulder), Ben Heller: 60-day IL (elbow), Domingo German: 10-day IL (hip), Dellin Betances: 60-day IL (shoulder), Jake Barrett: 60-day IL (elbow), Aaron Judge: 10-day IL (oblique), Jacoby Ellsbury: 60-day IL (hip), Troy Tulowitzki: 60-day IL (calf), Kendrys Morales: 10-day IL (calf), Greg Bird: 60-day IL (foot), Miguel Andujar: 60-day IL (labrum).
Astros Injuries: Joe Smith: 10-day IL (achilles), Collin McHugh: 10-day IL (elbow), Lance McCullers Jr.: 60-day IL (elbow), George Springer: 10-day IL (hamstring), Aledmys Diaz: 10-day IL (hamstring), Carlos Correa: 10-day IL (rib), Max Stassi: 10-day IL (knee).
