The Houston Astros open their Wild Card series against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, and they did so with a clear statement about how they want to attack the first game.
Before first pitch, scheduled for 4 p.m. Central and 5 p.m. Eastern, the club posted its Game 1 lineup and confirmed that Yordan Alvarez will occupy the second spot in the order as the designated hitter, via Underdog MLB.
Both teams are treating the afternoon as a bullpen game, with AJ Blubaugh taking the ball for Houston and Hagen Smith opening for Chicago.
Alvarez remains the center of the Astros’ offense even after a season in which he has split time between designated hitter and left field.
He appeared in left for 25 games this year, yet the playoff opener keeps him in the role that has defined most of his recent work: sitting in the middle of the lineup and looking for damage from the DH spot.
At 29, he is still the slugging presence Houston leans on when October begins. Batting him second, directly behind shortstop Jeremy Peña, is a vote of confidence that he can set the tone early against a White Sox staff that has handled him reasonably well in 2026.
The rest of the order reflects the same mix of veteran presence and younger pieces the Astros have carried into the postseason.
Isaac Paredes hits third at third base, Jose Altuve follows at second, Yainer Diaz is behind the plate, and Christian Walker anchors first base. Lucas Spence starts in center, Cam Smith in right, and Taylor Trammell in left. The construction is straightforward: get on base in front of Alvarez, then let the middle of the order try to cash those opportunities in.
What makes the assignment interesting is Alvarez’s modest production against Chicago this season. In 28 at-bats he has seven hits, two doubles, one RBI, eight walks and four strikeouts, good for a .250 average and no home runs.
Those numbers are not disastrous, but they fall short of the standard he usually sets.
Houston will be hoping the extra rest, the playoff atmosphere, and a fresh look at White Sox pitching can shake that slump in a series that begins with both clubs using openers rather than traditional starters.
Game 1 therefore becomes a test of whether Alvarez can immediately impose himself on a pitcher and a team that have limited him so far.
If he does, the Astros’ lineup as constructed gives them a chance to seize early control of a short series. If he does not, the supporting cast will have to carry more of the load than Houston would prefer on opening night of October.
Either way, the decision itself is no surprise: when the Astros need a statement at the plate, they still turn first to Yordan Alvarez.
