Astros Pitchers Hit Same Batters in Back-to-Back Games

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In consecutive games, Houston Astros pitchers Lance McCullers Jr. and Peter Lambert each hit the same two batters, JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera, in their first two at-bats. This highly unusual occurrence underscores the Astros' current pitching woes as they deal with multiple injured starters.

Why it matters

The Astros have been plagued by pitching issues this season, with several starters on the injured list. This bizarre coincidence of both McCullers and Lambert hitting the same two batters in back-to-back games highlights just how challenging things have been for the Astros' pitching staff.

The details

On Saturday, McCullers hit the first two batters he faced, Wetherholt and Herrera, who then scored on a single. McCullers went on to allow four runs in five innings. The previous day, in his Astros debut, Lambert also hit Wetherholt and Herrera to lead off the third inning, with both runners coming around to score. Lambert gave up four runs in five innings as well.

• On April 18, 2026, Peter Lambert hit Wetherholt and Herrera to lead off the third inning in his Astros debut.
• On April 19, 2026, Lance McCullers Jr. hit Wetherholt and Herrera to lead off the game.

What’s next

The Astros will continue searching for pitching reinforcements as they wait for injured starters Hunter Brown and Christian Javier to return, which could take over a month.