Astros vs. Rangers ALCS Game 6 Starting Pitcher Matchup - October 22

Updated Oct. 22, 2023 5:46 p.m. ET

Data Skrive

The Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers take the field in Game 6 of the ALCS on Sunday at 8:03 PM ET at Minute Maid Park. The Astros are ahead 3-2 in the series, and can secure a spot in the World Series with a victory.

Learn more about this Astros vs. Rangers matchup on Fox Sports.

The probable pitchers are Framber Valdez (12-11, 3.45 ERA) for the Astros against Nathan Eovaldi (12-5, 3.63 ERA) for the Rangers.

Astros Probable Starter: Framber Valdez

Valdez makes the start for the Astros, his 32nd of the season. He is 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA and 200 strikeouts in 198 2/3 innings pitched.
In his most recent appearance on Monday against the Texas Rangers, the lefty tossed 2 2/3 innings, allowing four earned runs while surrendering seven hits.
The 29-year-old has an ERA of 3.45, with 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings, in 31 games this season. Opponents are batting .228 against him.
Valdez has recorded 20 quality starts this season.
Valdez is looking to secure his 29th start of five or more innings this season in this matchup.
He has had six appearances this season in which he held his opponents to zero earned runs.
He will face off against a Rangers offense that ranks second in MLB with 1470 total hits (on a .263 batting average). The squad also slugs a collective .452 (third in MLB) with 233 total home runs (third in MLB).
In 19 1/3 innings over four appearances against the Rangers this season, Valdez has a 5.59 ERA and a 1.759 WHIP while his opponents are hitting .301.
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.

Valdez's Game Props

Strikeouts Prop: Over/Under 4.5 (Over Odds: -125)
Hits Prop: Over/Under 4.5 (Over Odds: +110)

Valdez's Recent Appearances

Opponent	Date	IP	H	R	ER	K	BB
vs. Rangers	Oct. 16	2.2	7	5	4	6	1
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

Rangers Probable Starter: Nathan Eovaldi

Eovaldi (12-5) will take the mound for the Rangers, his 26th start of the season.
The right-hander's last start was on Monday, when he tossed six innings while giving up three earned runs on five hits in a matchup with the Houston Astros.
The 33-year-old has an ERA of 3.63 and 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings with an opponent batting average of .225 in 25 games this season.
He's looking to extend his three-game quality start streak.
Eovaldi has three starts in a row of five innings or more.
In 25 appearances this season, he has finished eight without allowing an earned run.
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 12-for-52 with a double, four home runs and seven RBI in 14 1/3 innings this season against the right-hander.