The Houston Astros enter Sunday’s finale against the Los Angeles Angels with a 6–7 record and the mounting pressure of salvaging a home series against a division rival that has stolen momentum and outslugged them through the first two games. Playing at Daikin Park, the Astros have historically performed well in front of their home crowd, but early 2025 has not been kind to this lineup, particularly when facing left-handed pitching—against which they hold an abysmal .091 team batting average, currently the worst in Major League Baseball. That glaring weakness was on full display during Saturday’s 4–1 loss, where they managed only one run and struggled to string together competitive at-bats against Tyler Anderson. The offense, expected to be a cornerstone of the Astros’ continued postseason aspirations, has been held in check, with cornerstone players like Jose Altuve and Yordan Alvarez getting off to uncharacteristically slow starts. With neither providing the kind of spark they are capable of, the lineup has lacked rhythm, power, and timely contact, which has placed undue stress on the starting rotation and bullpen to carry the load. On Sunday, Houston will turn to Hayden Wesneski on the mound, a young right-hander tasked with limiting a red-hot Angels lineup that leads MLB in home runs over the last nine games. Wesneski has pitched well in his own right, holding a 3.75 ERA over 12 innings, and has shown flashes of command and poise that suggest he could become a mainstay in the Astros’ evolving rotation.

However, facing an Angels lineup that has punished even elite pitching will be a significant challenge, especially if Houston’s offense continues to sputter and fails to offer run support. For the Astros, success in this game hinges on small execution points—working deep counts, moving runners, and protecting leads late. Their bullpen, while solid on paper, has already been exposed in several outings this year, and if forced to absorb high-leverage innings without margin for error, cracks could begin to show again. Defensively, Houston remains sound, with veterans in the infield helping to prevent the kinds of mistakes that plague less experienced teams, but clean execution alone won’t be enough unless the bats wake up. Manager Joe Espada will likely look for ways to manufacture runs—hit-and-runs, steals, and perhaps lineup reshuffling to ignite urgency—and players like Jeremy Peña and Chas McCormick may be called upon to set the tone with energy and contact hitting if the middle of the order remains cold. Sunday’s matchup is as much about psychology as statistics for the Astros. Dropping a home series to a surging Angels club could shake confidence in a team that has been a model of sustained excellence over the past decade. On the flip side, a sharp performance from Wesneski and a timely resurgence from the bats could provide the kind of catalyst this team needs to reset and climb back toward the top of the AL West. With early-season ground already lost and the Angels nipping at their heels, this finale is more than just one of 162—it’s a chance to reassert control and reignite the fire that has defined Houston baseball for years.