Overview

• The three-game set at Daikin Park opens Friday night with Bryan Woo facing Hunter Brown, followed by George Kirby vs. Framber Valdez on Saturday and Logan Gilbert vs. Jason Alexander on Sunday.
• Seattle enters on an 11-of-12 surge that erased a 3.5-game deficit, with one of MLB’s softest remaining schedules by Tankathon metrics.
• Houston has weathered extensive injuries, including multiple starting pitchers and closer Josh Hader, with Yordan Alvarez’s ankle status uncertain.
• The season series stands 5-5, so this weekend decides the head-to-head tiebreaker and effectively adds a game of cushion for the winner.
• Both clubs are 84-69 with nine games left, and the Astros arrive off a sweep of the Rangers and a 7-4 run against a tougher recent slate.