After missing the first two games of Houston’s set vs. the Baltimore Orioles, Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena is back in the starting lineup for the series finale today after battling an illness, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. He is batting in the leadoff spot.
Peña is back in lineup pic.twitter.com/D0PgyxheUT
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 17, 2025
Pena felt “under the weather” on Friday before the series opener and underwent some tests, manager Joe Espada said. But Pena was “a lot better” yesterday and was scheduled to participate in some baseball activity.
The Astros have needed his bat throughout this series, especially on Friday when Orioles starter Brandon Young pitched 7.2 perfect innings before Ramon Urias recorded a hit in an eventual 7-0 loss.
Houston tied the series yesterday with a 5-4 victory, but it took them 12 innings to defeat Baltimore as the Astros went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 13 on base. Pena did get two at-bats as a pinch hitter in that game, striking out in the 8th before being intentionally walked in the 11th.
The 2022 World Series MVP just returned from a stint on the injured list at the start of this month. He’s batting .283 with five extra-base hits and five RBI since then, and he has a .317/.373/.490 slash line over 94 games this season.
Pena will try and help Houston secure its fourth consecutive series win with a victory today at Daikin Park. The Astros are currently in a tight race for the AL West division title, holding just a 1.5-game lead over the surging Seattle Mariners.