Astros vs. Twins ALDS Game 2 Starting Pitcher Matchup - October 8

Updated Oct. 8, 2023 5:43 p.m. ET

Data Skrive

The Houston Astros are at home for Game 2 of the ALDS against the Minnesota Twins on Sunday at 8:03 PM ET at Minute Maid Park. The Astros have a 1-0 series lead.

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

The Houston Astros will give the start to Framber Valdez (12-11, 3.45 ERA), who is looking for win No. 13 on the season, and the Twins will turn to Pablo Lopez (11-8, 3.71 ERA).

Astros Probable Starter: Framber Valdez

The Astros will send Valdez (12-11) to make his 32nd start of the season. He is 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA and 200 strikeouts in 198 2/3 innings pitched.
His most recent time out was on Thursday, Sept. 28 against the Seattle Mariners, when the left-hander tossed four innings, surrendering three earned runs while allowing five hits.
In 31 games this season, the 29-year-old has an ERA of 3.45, with 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .227 against him.
Valdez has recorded 20 quality starts this season.
Valdez has pitched five or more innings in a game 28 times this year heading into this game.
He has had six appearances this season in which he did not give up an earned run.
He will face a Twins offense that ranks 10th in the league with 778 runs while batting .243 as a squad. It has a collective .427 slugging percentage (seventh in MLB action) and has hit a total of 233 home runs (third in MLB).
Among qualifying pitchers in MLB action this season, the 29-year-old's 3.45 ERA ranks 15th, 1.121 WHIP ranks 13th, and 9.1 K/9 ranks 22nd.

Valdez's Game Props

Strikeouts Prop: Over/Under 4.5 (Over Odds: +105)
Hits Prop: Over/Under 4.5 (Over Odds: -110)

Valdez's Recent Appearances

Opponent	Date	IP	H	R	ER	K	BB
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	5	1	0	5	1
vs. Athletics	Sep. 11	7.0	4	3	3	10	1
at Rangers	Sep. 5	7.0	6	1	1	4	4

Twins Probable Starter: Pablo Lopez

The Twins' Lopez (11-8) will make his 33rd start of the season.
The right-hander gave up one earned run in 5 2/3 innings pitched on Tuesday in his last outing, a matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The 27-year-old has an ERA of 3.71 and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings with an opponent batting average of .238 in 32 games this season.
In 32 starts this season, he's earned a quality start in 20 of them.
Lopez has 29 starts of five or more innings this season in 32 chances. He averages 6.1 innings per outing.
He has made 32 appearances and finished six of them without allowing an earned run.
The Astros are batting .259 this season, fourth in MLB. They have a team slugging percentage of .437 (sixth in the majors) with 222 home runs.
Among qualified pitchers this season, the 27-year-old's 3.71 ERA ranks 22nd, 1.155 WHIP ranks 16th, and 10.9 K/9 ranks fifth.