Astros vs. Rangers ALCS Game 2 Starting Pitcher Matchup - October 16

Updated Oct. 16, 2023 10:49 a.m. ET

FOX Sports

The Houston Astros host the Texas Rangers for Game 2 of the ALCS on Monday at 4:37 PM ET at Minute Maid Park. The Rangers have a 1-0 series lead.

The Astros are set to start Framber Valdez (12-11, 3.45 ERA) against the Rangers and Nathan Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA).

Astros Probable Starter: Framber Valdez

Valdez (12-11) gets the starting nod for the Astros in his 32nd start of the season. He's put together a 3.45 ERA in 198 2/3 innings pitched, with 200 strikeouts.
His most recent appearance was on Monday, Oct. 9 against the Minnesota Twins, when the left-hander went 4 1/3 innings, surrendering five earned runs while allowing seven hits.
In 31 games this season, the 29-year-old has put up an ERA of 3.45, with 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .228 against him.
Valdez enters this game with 20 quality starts under his belt this year.
Valdez enters this game with 28 outings of five or more innings pitched this campaign.
He has held his opponents without an earned run in six of his 31 appearances this season.
The opposing Rangers offense has the third-ranked slugging percentage (.452) and ranks third in MLB play with 233 home runs. It has a collective .263 batting average, and is second in MLB with 1470 total hits and third in MLB play scoring 881 runs.
In 16 2/3 innings over three appearances against the Rangers this season, Valdez has a 4.32 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP while his opponents are batting .269.
The 29-year-old's 3.45 ERA ranks 15th, 1.126 WHIP ranks 13th, and 9.1 K/9 ranks 22nd among qualifying pitchers this season.

Opponent	Date	IP	H	R	ER	K	BB
vs. Twins	Oct. 8	4.1	7	5	5	5	3
at Mariners	Sep. 27	4.0	5	3	3	7	5
vs. Royals	Sep. 22	5.1	4	7	6	10	3
at Royals	Sep. 17	7.0	6	1	0	5	1
vs. Athletics	Sep. 11	7.0	4	3	3	10	1

Eovaldi (12-5) will take to the mound for the Rangers and make his 26th start of the season.
The right-hander's last start was on Wednesday, when he tossed seven innings while giving up one earned run on five hits in a matchup with the Baltimore Orioles.
The 33-year-old has pitched to a 3.63 ERA this season with 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings compared to 2.9 walks per nine across 25 games.
He's going for his third quality start in a row.
Eovaldi has two starts in a row of five innings or more.
He has eight appearances with no earned runs allowed in 25 chances this season.
The Astros have scored 827 runs this season, which ranks fifth in MLB. They are batting .259 for the campaign with 222 home runs, seventh in the majors.
The Astros have gone 7-for-28 with two home runs and four RBI in 8 1/3 innings this season against the right-hander.