Analysis: Pena has only three hits across his first 23 at-bats, though two have been home runs. He's also struck out just three times while walking twice, so more hits should start to fall in.

Analysis: Walker had gone just 3-for-24 with no extra-base hits before launching a 402-foot homer off Joe Ryan to lead off the second inning Thursday. The Astros will hope it's the first of many for Walker, who posted an .803 OPS with 26 home runs and 84 RBI in 552 plate appearances with Arizona last season.

Analysis: Hader is now 3-for-3 in save opportunities to start the year -- he's allowed one run while striking out three over three innings. The left-hander remains one of the top ninth-inning options in the league after logging 34 saves while posting a 3.80 ERA with a 0.96 WHIP and 105 strikeouts across 71 regular-season innings last year.

Analysis: The Twins got to Brown early Thursday, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. However, the right-hander would settle in and turn in five scoreless frames to turn in a second-straight quality start. The 26-year-old Brown has allowed four earned runs while striking out 15 through his first 12 innings this year. Brown's currently lined up for a road matchup with the Mariners in his next outing.

Analysis: Meyers isn't dealing with any known injury, but he's now been missing from the lineup for three straight contests and four of the last five games. Mauricio Dubon is starting in center field and batting ninth Thursday.

Analysis: Diaz started at catcher in each of the three games this week against the Giants, but he will take a day off in the series opener versus the Twins. Victor Caratini will do the catching and bat sixth Thursday.

Analysis: It's good that Garcia isn't dealing with any structural damage in his surgically repaired elbow. However, he's already been shut down for a couple weeks and will need at least another month before he's able to throw again. It's going to be a long ramp-up process after that, so Garcia probably isn't going to be an option for the Astros until at least June even in a best-case scenario.

Analysis: Paredes is off to a frosty start at the dish for his new team, batting .150 (3-for-20) with two RBI in six outings after also going just 6-for-32 (.188) with one home run during spring training. The righty-hitting infielder's reputation as a pull hitter should eventually translate to more power, with the short porch in left field at Minute Maid Park working to his benefit just as Tropicana Field once did in the same way for Paredes during his days in Tampa Bay.

Analysis: The star left-hander was ambushed early, promptly serving up a two-run home run to Willy Adames in the first inning. Luis Matos then hit a solo homer in the second, and Heliot Ramos also doubled to drive in a pair of runs during the frame. Valdez did settle in to throw three scoreless innings thereafter and fanned nine Wednesday, and he'll look to rebound in his next scheduled start at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park against Seattle early next week.

Analysis: Meyers has now been out of the lineup for two straight contests and he and Chas McCormick have split starts in center field evenly on the season with three starts apiece. It would not be a surprise if the two players continued to rotate in and out of the lineup at a similar clip moving forward.

Analysis: Smith is off to a bit of a slow start at the plate, going 2-for-11 with a couple singles and four strikeouts. Zach Dezenzo is getting the call in right field for the Astros while Smith receives a breather.

Analysis: It's been an icy start at the plate for Alvarez, who has a lone hit in 16 at-bats with two RBI and three walks in five games. Alvarez also went just 5-for-34 (.147) with one home run during spring training, but fantasy managers should expect the star slugger to get going at the dish soon. Alvarez has hit at least .293 and reached the 30-homer mark in each of the past three years.

Analysis: Although he allowed only two hits Tuesday and was able to throw two scoreless innings to open the game, Wesneski yielded two walks to begin the third frame and saw Willy Adames drive them in via a two-run double. Heliot Ramos then belted a leadoff homer to start the fourth inning. The 27-year-old right-hander will look to lower the amount of loud contact in his next scheduled start, which is tentatively set for early next week in Seattle.

Analysis: McCullers will move down a level after making his first rehab start Sunday at Triple-A Sugar Land, during which he gave up two earned runs over two innings while throwing 35 pitches. The 31-year-old may look to tack on another inning to his workload during his upcoming Double-A start as he works toward appearing in his first MLB game in more than two years.

Analysis: Meyers collected two hits in the season opener but is 0-for-6 with four strikeouts across the past three games. Chas McCormick will take over in center field and bat ninth.

Analysis: The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for right-hander Nick Robertson, who was acquired via trade Tuesday. Javier's timetable for making his season debut won't change as a result of the transaction, as he is not expected to return until the second half of the season as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery.

Analysis: Robertson had been booted from Toronto's 40-man roster and now will report to Triple-A Sugar Land, where he will provide relief depth for Houston. The 26-year-old has made 27 appearances at the major-league level, compiling a 5.30 ERA and 40:11 K:BB in 35.2 innings.

Analysis: Blanco was not sharp during the Grapefruit League, pitching to an 8.44 ERA and 2.25 WHIP across 10.2 innings, and carried that malaise into this performance. The Houston right-hander labored across his five frames, requiring 92 pitches, only 43.5 percent of which found the strike zone, to complete the task. Blanco will look to bounce back in his next start this weekend, currently scheduled to be at Minnesota.

Analysis: Rodgers started at second base in the Astros' first two games of the season and went 0-for-6 with a walk and two strikeouts, but he's now ceded the keystone to Mauricio Dubon and Jose Altuve on consecutive days. Altuve is still expected to see the bulk of his playing time in left field this season, but Rodgers may struggle to carve out a full-time role while Dubon remains in the mix at second base.

Analysis: Altuve manned his new left field position in all three games of the Astros' opening series against the Mets, but he's back at his old spot for the series opener versus the Giants. He remains the team's primary left fielder, but Altuve will still play second base on occasion, and doing so Monday with flyball pitcher Ronel Blanco on the mound for Houston makes sense. Mauricio Dubon is handling left field.