Astros finally have their top 3 starters. Is a winning streak next?

The Houston Astros' battered pitching rotation stands as the leading story of the club's strange first month-plus of 2024. Normalcy will return to the group over the weekend. 

Houston will trot out its leading trio of starting pitchers for the first time this season beginning Friday in a three-game series at the Detroit Tigers. Left-hander Framber Valdez will begin the weekend for Houston, with Cristian Javier pitching Saturday before Justin Verlander toes the rubber in Sunday's finale. And while each starter has looked strong in spurts this season, the weekend provides a rare moment of continuity for manager Joe Espada. As Javier makes his first start since April 14, perhaps the Astros can finally string together quality outings. 

Javier's record is rather spotless this season. He returned to his 2022 form through four starts, posting a sterling 1.54 ERA before hitting the Injured List with a neck problem. His co-aces are failing to live up to their reputation, at least of late. Valdez was tagged for nine hits and five runs in last week's home loss to the Seattle Mariners, while Verlander was pummeled by the New York Yankees in Tuesday's series opener in the Bronx—a loss that prompted some serious self-evaluation postgame. 

Houston has a trio of starting pitchers that can go toe-to-toe with any rotation in baseball when right. This weekend in Detroit is the group's first chance to kickstart the club this season. 

The Astros enter the weekend in Detroit in foreign territory in the AL West, sitting eight games back of the Texas Rangers at 13-24, but the road ahead presents an opportunity to at least climb back toward .500. Houston sends its top three arms to the mound this weekend against the American League's third-worst offense by OPS. 10 games against the Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels follow. We won't pencil in any wins for the Astros at the moment given their current pairing production, but this isn't a club bereft of talent, especially with the healthy trio of Verlander, Valdez and Javier. 

Valdez will toe the rubber at Comerica Park on Friday, with first pitch slated for 5:40 p.m. CT. Detroit is sending its own fearsome trio to the mound, with former top prospect Casey Mize preceding AL Cy Young candidates Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty.