Lucas Spence gave the Astros the boost they needed as the race for the AL West crown vs. the Rangers heats up.

Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña returns after missing one game from being hit by a pitch on his arm.

If he wins the AL MVP award, the Cuban slugger will join Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers as the only players to win an MVP award while primarily serving as a designated hitter. Othani was close to winning a Triple Crown in 2024 after leading the NL in homers (50) and RBIs (130), but his .310 average fell just short to Luis Arráez’s .314.