Heading in Different Directions, Astros, Reds Begin Series

Houston’s Hot Start

The Houston Astros enter the series with a Major League-best 29-14 record, having won 11 of their last 14 games

Led by All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman, the Astros offense is among the highest-scoring in baseball.

The Cincinnati Reds have struggled, going 18-25 this season and sitting 5th in the NL Central

Injuries have plagued the Reds, with starting pitcher Luis Castillo and outfielder Nick Castellanos both on the injured list

The Reds hope to turn things around against the Astros, but they will need to play better than they have in recent weeks

The pitching matchup for the series opener features two young starters: Houston’s Luis Garcia and Cincinnati’s Hunter Greene

Garcia has been solid this season, posting a 3.91 ERA in six starts

Greene has struggled, with a 5.59 ERA in seven starts, but he has shown flashes of brilliance

The Astros are the clear favorites in this series, but the Reds have a chance to make things interesting if they can get their offense going

The series opener is set for Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park