Houston
Astros

News: Bogusevic is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Astros Senior Director of Social Media Alyson Footer reports.
Impact: Despite the fact that the Astros average two runs per game more when Bogusevic is in right field, he'll give way to Matt Downs for the second time in three days. Bogusevic is just 5-for-27 on the year against lefties, so it's not much of a surprise that he's sitting against southpaw Chris Capuano.

News: Schafer is not in Sunday's starting lineup, Astros Senior Director of Social Media Alyson Footer reports.
Impact: Schafer returned to the lineup Saturday after missing four of five games with a toe injury. He went 1-for-4 in the contest, and it's likely that the team just doesn't want him to play in back-to-back games immediately after the injury. There has been no setback reported so expect Schafer back in the lineup Monday against Colorado.

News: Bogusevic had two hits and scored twice in Saturday's 6-3 defeat to the Dodgers.
Impact: Bogusevic has a .616 OPS and that's not noteworthy enough for fantasy players.

News: Norris threw 116 pitches over 4 2-3 innings, allowing three runs, eight hits and four walks and left without a decision in Saturday's 6-3 defeat to the Dodgers.
Impact: Norris ended May 4-0 in five starts with a 1.17 ERA.

News: The Astros put Abad on the 15-day disabled list with a right intercostal strain.
Impact: Abad has a 5.00 ERA in 15 appearances.

News: Abad has been placed on the disabled list with a strained right intercostal, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: The Astros will call up Xavier Cedeno to replace Abad. The reliever had a 5.00 ERA with the Astros and has a tenuous hold on his roster spot to begin with.

News: Norris allowed three runs over 4.2 innings and did not factor in the decision Saturday against the Dodgers.
Impact: He gave up eight hits while walking four and striking out four. Norris would have likely lasted a little bit longer had it not been for his high pitch count of 116 when he was pulled. Over his last five starts, Norris has allowed just four earned runs over 30.2 innings of work, while earning the win on four occasions. His season ERA now sits at 3.34 to accompany 62 strikeouts and 22 walks.

News: Schafter sprained his right ankle while attempting to make a catch in Saturday's 6-5 victory over the Texas Rangers.
Impact: Astros manager Brad Mills told the team's website that Schafer will likely be unavailable for Sunday's series finale. X-rays were negative but he's expected to have more tests Monday.

News: Martinez homered, and the Astros used four relievers in the eighth to get out of a bases-loaded jam and help secure a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles.
Impact: Martinez is 6 for 11 with a homer and six RBIs in the last three games.

News: Harrell took a shutout into the eighth inning in his duel with the Dodgers' reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, J.D. Martinez homered, and the Astros used four relievers in the eighth to get out of a bases-loaded jam and help secure a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles.
Impact: Harrell (4-3) scattered five singles, walked three and did not strike out a batter during the longest of his 15 big league starts. The 26-year-old right-hander, facing the Dodgers for the first time, allowed only two runners as far as second base and got 17 of his outs on ground balls - including all three outs on comebackers to the mound in the seventh inning.

News: Altuve has moved back to the second spot in the order Saturday with Jordan Schafer (toe) returning to the lineup.
Impact: Altuve was filling in as the leadoff man with Schafer out of the lineup for four of the last five games. The second baseman currently holds a .312 average with three home runs and nine steals on the season.

News: Schafer (toe) is back in the lineup and batting leadoff Saturday, MLB.com reports.
Impact: Schafer missed four of the last five games, but he appears good to go. Most of his value comes from his speed, so it's a tad worrisome that he's dealing with a toe injury and also had a strained muscle in his lower leg this week.

News: Martinez went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run to help lead the Astros past the Dodgers 3-1 on Friday.
Impact: The home run by Martinez turned out to be the deciding factor after the Dodgers plated just one run all game. He has now hit safely in four of his last five games, is hitting .243 on the season, and is finally starting to show signs of life. Martinez is still just a low-end option in the outfield, but he definitely has the potential to exceed that.

News: Harrell allowed just one run off five hits and three walks with no strikeouts through 7.1 innings against the Dodgers on Friday.
Impact: This was easily Harrell's best start of the season as he held the Dodgers in check all night and outdueled Clayton Kershaw. Harrell has definitely been a pleasant surprise for fantasy owners this season as he's notched four wins with a 3.72 ERA. The only concern, aside from zero strikeouts on Friday, is his usual inability to pitch beyond the sixth inning. This was only the third time he's pitched beyond the sixth in 10 starts this season.

News: Snyder will start behind the plate Friday.
Impact: Snyder splits time with Jason Castro, and Castro started Wednesday. Snyder will bat eighth against Clayton Kershaw.

News: Buck is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Dodgers.
Impact: J.D. Martinez, Matt Downs and Justin Maxwell round out the outfield for the Astros on Friday. Buck will be available off the bench.

News: Downs is in the starting lineup Friday against the Dodgers.
Impact: Downs will bat fifth and play right field. Downs is hitting .167 this season, and it doesn't get any easier Friday as the Astros go up against Clayton Kershaw.

News: Through his first eight starts, Rodriguez has been much more efficient with his pitches than he was last year, averaging two and a half fewer pitches per inning, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Impact: He threw 16.5 pitches per inning in 2011, which ranked 77th among 94 qualifiers. This year, he's averaging 13.9 pitches per inning, which ranks fourth among 118 qualifiers. It goes without saying that throwing fewer pitches per inning allows him to go deeper into games, increasing his chances of picking up wins.

News: The Astros have averaged two runs per game more when Bogusevic has started in right field, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.
Impact: The team is 17-15 and averaging 4.63 runs per game when Bogusevic starts in right and 4-10 and averaging 2.83 runs when anyone else starts in right. Bogusevic isn't exactly hitting the cover off the ball, but he does bring a different look to the lineup and a certain degree of electricity.

News: Rodriguez gave up one run and eight hits in seven innings of a win over the Cubs on Wednesday.
Impact: It was his first victory in four starts. He improved to 4-4 with a 2.14 ERA. He's given up two or fewer runs in seven of his 10 starts.

News: Rodriguez dominated the Cubs over seven innings, allowing one run in Wednesday's win. He struck out five, walked none and allowed eight hits.
Impact: Wandy has far outperformed any previous season of work this year, as his ERA sits at a tiny 2.14. He's surrendered only four homers in 67.3 innings this year (after allowing 25 last season), and his BABIP is a bit low, so there's room for some regression here.

News: Happ (4-3) allowed five hits and a run in six innings of Tuesday's 2-1 win over the Cubs.
Impact: Happ is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in his last two starts.

News: Altuve had a solo homer to give the Houston Astros a 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.
Impact: Altuve is batting .346 (9 for 26) on the homestand.

News: Schafer is day-to-day following a flare-up of his recent toe injury, the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: Justin Maxwell and Brian Bogusevic will likely handle center field while Schafer is banged up, while there is no indication of a disabled list stint being necessary at this time.

News: Bogusevic is sitting against lefty Travis Wood on Tuesday, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: Justin Maxwell is playing right field and batting third for the Astros on Tuesday night. Bogusevic will continue to see regular at-bats against right-handed starters as he's been in the lineup in each of the last nine games when the Astros have opposed one.

News: Castro is not in the starting lineup Tuesday, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: He'll sit in favor of Chris Snyder on Tuesday after hitting his first home run of the season Monday night.

News: Schafer (leg) is back in the starting lineup Tuesday, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: He'll bat eighth in his return to the lineup Tuesday, so it appears as though Schafer's recent struggles and the consistency of Jose Altuve have bumped him down in the order for the time being.

News: Myers picked up his 11th save of the season with a clean inning Tuesday against the Cubs.
Impact: Myers struck out a pair and lowered his ERA to 1.80 in the process. Enjoy it while you can -- he might not retain the closer's role if (most likely when) the Astros trade him.

News: Happ picked up his fourth win Tuesday against the Cubs, allowing just five hits and one run over six innings.
Impact: Happ struck out six and walked two, with the only run coming on an Alfonso Soriano home run. Happ has a 4.56 ERA on the season, however, and his ERA likely won't come down much unless he can figure out how to stop giving up so many home runs. Soriano's blast was the ninth he's allowed in as many starts this season.

News: Norris struck out eight in seven scoreless innings to beat the Cubs on Monday.
Impact: Norris continued his surprising start, improving to 5-1 with a 3.14 ERA. He won six games all of 2011.

News: Schafer (lower leg muscle strain) was available to play Monday but did not make an appearance in the game, according to the team's official site.
Impact: Speed is so important to Schafer's game that it's reasonable to expect the Astros will be careful with his lower leg and ankle. That said, Schafer should make an appearance in Tuesday's game, even if he doesn't start.

News: Lowrie went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, a stolen base and two runs scored in Monday's win over the Cubs.
Impact: With a nice combination of pop and on-base skills, Lowrie is looking more like the player who posted a .907 OPS with the Red Sox in 2010 than the .685 mark he carried over 309 at-bats last season. The hits Monday extended Lowrie's current hitting streak to six games, while he's now gone deep five times in his last 68 at-bats.

News: Castro went 1-for-3 with a homer and three RBI in Monday's win over the Cubs.
Impact: The blast was Castro's first of the season, and he entered Monday's game with a 6-for-34 (.176) mark in his previous 11 games. The Astros have been very patient with their young catcher despite his struggles at the plate thus far, but perhaps things are on the upswing after the long ball Monday.

News: Norris struck out eight and walked three while giving up five hits over seven shutout innings in Monday's win over the Cubs.
Impact: The win was Norris' fifth of the season, and he's been on a roll in May with one earned run allowed over 26 innings (four starts). He'll line up to face the Dodgers on the road for his next start Saturday or Sunday depending on how the Astros align their rotation following an off-day Thursday.

News: Schafer (ankle) is not in the lineup Monday, but said he's fine to play again after suffering the injury Saturday, Steve Campbell of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: Earlier reports suggested that Schafer may be held out of the lineup until Wednesday, so it's possible that another day off Tuesday is on tap. Still, consider Schafer day-to-day with the chance of seeing action throughout the later part of the week if he continues to make progress as expected.

News: Del Rosario was called up by the Astros on Monday, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.
Impact: He will take the roster spot of Jordan Lyles, who was demoted earlier in the day. Del Rosario had a 4.24 ERA in 15 Triple-A games this season, and posted a 4.58 ERA in 54 games for the Astros in 2011.

News: Martinez is back in Monday's lineup after sitting out Sunday, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports.
Impact: Martinez picked up his first extra-base hit since April 25 in Saturday's game, but he is still hitting just .114 for the month of May. Martinez will play left field and bat seventh Monday night.

News: Lyles was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, according to the team's official site.
Impact: Even though he has been sent down, he is not out of the running for his next start. A new rule was implemented this year that allows teams to utilize a 26-man roster on the days of scheduled doubleheaders. Lyles could be called up to make his next start (a scheduled doubleheader with the Rockies) without waiting the normal 10 days that is required for anyone sent down.

News: Contrary to an earlier report suggesting that Schafer would be back Monday, it's now more likely that he won't return until Wednesday, the Astros' official site reports.
Impact: While Schafer is feeling better and was walking without a limp Sunday, he will only try to get on the field and run - and not play - Monday. "I'm still a little sore today," Schafer said. "I think I should be OK in a day or two. It will be all right."

News: Harrell allowed four runs in 5 2-3 innings of Saturday's 6-5 win over Texas.
Impact: Harrell is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in his last three starts.

News: Lyles will be optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Monday, the Houston Chronicle's Zachary Levine reports.
Impact: The Astros haven't announced who will fill the vacant roster spot, but they said they plan to make a move Monday to get back to the full 25-man roster. In three games this season, Lyles is 0-1 with a 5.29 ERA and 1.53 WHIP.

News: Lyles allowed six runs on nine hits over five innings Sunday against the Rangers.
Impact: Lyles was beat up in a five-run first inning and calmed down afterwards, striking out six on the day. Still, he appears to have a big issue with home runs -- he's allowed five in three starts - and that could mean a trip back to Triple-A sooner rather than later.

News: Snyder was scratched from Sunday's starting lineup, the Astros' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Jason Castro will catch and bat eighth against right-hander Colby Lewis and the Rangers. The team was clear in stating that Snyder is not injured.

News: Schafer said Sunday that his ankle feels better and he hopes to play Monday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact: Schafer is out of Sunday's lineup after colliding with Justin Maxwell and injuring his ankle on Saturday. X-rays came back negative, and thankfully for fantasy owners, this injury doesn't appear to be serious.

News: Harrell held the Rangers to one earned run over 5.2 innings Saturday to pick up his third win of the year.
Impact: He allowed an additional three unearned runs in this one thanks to a Jed Lowrie fielding error, and it is worth noting the home run he surrendered was of the inside-the-park variety. Harrell's six strikeouts marked a season-best, but his 4.97 K/9IP on the season does not inspire confidence.

News: X-rays on Schafer's right ankle returned negative results, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact: The Astros have ordered a few more tests on Schafer, and they will update his status Monday. Needless to say, he will sit Sunday's series finale.

News: Schafer left Saturday's game with an apparent leg injury, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Impact: He suffered the injury after colliding into Justin Maxwell during an inside-the-park home run. Maxwell would likely take over in center if Schafer needs to sit.

News: Johnson is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against Texas, the Astros' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Matt Downs will start at third base and bat sixth for Houston. Johnson is just getting a day off and should be back in the lineup Sunday.

News: Rodriguez took his fourth loss of the season after giving up three runs off 10 hits and two walks while striking out four through six innings against the Rangers on Friday.
Impact: Not his finest performance, but certainly not his worst. Rodriguez pitched his way in and out of trouble all night and managed to contain the Rangers potent bats for most of the way. His ERA is now at 2.24 and while some regression is expected, he can still be a very effective pitcher for your fantasy rotation.

News: Wright entered Friday with a 2.70 ERA in 19 games, having held left-handed hitters to two hits in 25 at-bats.
Impact: He seems to really have found his home as a lefty specialist. The Astros will likely stop toying around with the idea of making him a starter, especially given his success in his new role.

News: Snyder has been completely free of the back pains that limited his 2011 campaign to just 96 at-bats, according to the team's official site.
Impact: Behind the plate, a healthy Snyder and Jason Castro have stabilized an Astros catching situation that was questionable last year. At it, Snyder has yet to show .770-plus OPS that he demonstrated in Pittsburg and Arizona. Snyder believes his bat will come around -- with time.

News: Altuve collected three hits with a stolen base in Thursday's victory over Milwaukee.
Impact: Altuve continues to get on base atop Houston's lineup, and has a steal in three of his last four games.

News: Happ had one of his best starts of the season Thursday, tossing six scoreless innings against Milwaukee to record his third win. He scattered seven hits with four strikeouts.
Impact: Happ still hasn't pitched seven innings in a start this season, but he rebounded from a couple of recent duds to pitch well in this one against a division rival.

News: Lowrie hit a two-run homer off Shaun Marcum during Thursday's win over Milwaukee.
Impact: Lowrie had been scuffling a bit at the plate, with just four hits in his previous 33 at-bats. He offers some pop from the shortstop position, but just as with the rest of the Astros' order, inconsistency is to be expected.

News: Lyles will remain in the rotation and is scheduled to make his third start of the season for the Astros on Sunday against the Rangers, according to the team's official site.
Impact: Lyles has worked on his delivery to get more tilt and angle on the ball, and to use his frame to get the most out of his motion. So far, the adjustments have seemed fruitful. Lyles's velocity has been up and he has gotten off to a fast start (he was 5-0 for the Triple-A RedHawks).

News: Myers' 2013 option will likely vest with approximately 55 games finished, according to Fox Sports. He will obtain a $500K bonus if the Astros trade him this summer.
Impact: Though the strikeouts really haven't been there, Myers has thrived as a reliever so far this season. With plenty of teams needing bullpen arms come summer, Myers should be tradable. We do not expect he will end the season in an Astros uniform.

News: Lee, whose salary will make him difficult to deal this summer, appears unlikely to waive his no-trade clause and wants to remain in Houston badly, CBS Sports reports.
Impact: Lee has gotten a reputation as a bit of a creature of habit, so this really isn't much of a surprise. The Astros will try to deal Lee this summer, but if they are unable, don't be surprised if they restructure his remaining payments in exchange for a one-year extension. The team will be moving to the AL next year and will need a DH, at least until some of their minor-league talent is ready.

News: Lyles pitched six innings Tuesday in a 4-3, 10-inning loss at Philly.
Impact: Lyles was charged with three runs - one earned - and six hits. He struck out four and walked one.

News: Lee had two hits Tuesday in a 4-3, 10-inning loss at Philly.
Impact: Lee is 8 for 17 over his last four games.

News: Martinez had two hits Tuesday in a 4-3, 10-inning loss at Philly.
Impact: Martinez broke out of a 0-for-23 slump.

News: Myers gave up a walk-off homer to Hunter Pence in Tuesday's loss to the Phillies.
Impact: He entered the 10th inning in a tie game, but Myers recorded just one out before Pence's blast gave the Phillies the victory. Even with a couple of rough outings his last two times out, Myers has still pitched well out of the Houston bullpen this season and is carrying a 2.08 ERA and 0.85 WHIP over 13 innings.

News: Lee went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Phillies.
Impact: He drove in the first run of the ninth inning when the Astros chased Chad Qualls from the game with a blown save. Lee continues to anchor the heart of the Houston lineup, but the Astros' offense has scuffled a bit in recent weeks after finishing April as a top-10 team in runs scored.

News: Lyles struck out four and walked one while giving up a pair of homers in a no-decision against the Phillies on Tuesday.
Impact: Just one of the three runs Lyles allowed were of the earned variety, as Jose Altuve's throwing error preceded a two-run homer from Brian Schneider. It's expected that Lyles will make at least one more start for the Astros, and he could simply emerge as the team's new No. 5 starter if the Triple-A merry-go-round stops spinning in Houston.

News: Martinez is back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, the Astros' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: This is just Martinez's second time in the lineup in the past six games, and he's really struggling. He has just one hit in his last 35 at-bats, and he'll have to try to get back on track against tough lefty Cliff Lee.

News: Bogusevic is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, the Astros' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Bogusevic has been in right field for the team's last five games, so he'll rest up and take a seat in favor of Matt Downs. The 28-year-old Bogusevic is sitting on a .234 average, but he's been a little better lately, recording six hits in his last 21 at-bats.

News: Schafer is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, the Astros' official Twitter page reports.
Impact: Justin Maxwell will be in center field and bat second against southpaw Cliff Lee. This is Schafer's first day off since May 5, but the 25-year-old's average has fallen to .244 on the year. He has scored 20 runs and swiped 11 bags so far in 2012, however, and he usually sits atop the Astros' lineup.

News: Lowrie will not be in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Astros Senior Director of Social Media Alyson Footer reports.
Impact: It's a planned day off for Lowrie, who will be replaced at shortstop by Marwin Gonzalez. With four home runs and 12 RBI to go along with a .275 average, Lowrie has been a fairly serviceable fantasy option at his position.

News: Carpenter was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City prior to Tuesday's game against the Phillies, the Astros' official site reports.
Impact: He was sent down to make room for Jordan Lyles, who's starting Tuesday's game. Carpenter was 0-2 with a 4.02 ERA and 14:10 K:BB ratio in 14 relief appearances for the Astros.

News: Lyles was called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start Tuesday's game against the Phillies, the Astros' official site reports.
Impact: Lyles allowed three earned runs over six innings during his only other start with the Astros this season. With a solid showing Tuesday, Lyles could stick around Houston longer than just the one start.

News: Lyles, who is the presumed starter for Tuesday's game, has not yet been called up, according to the team's official site.
Impact: Tuesday's start is in danger of being canceled due to weather, so the Astros are trying to avoid making an unnecessary roster move -- especially when it comes to calling up one of their better prospects. The team does not have to make a decision until just before the 12:05 p.m. (Central Time) start. Stay tuned.

News: Schafer went 0-for-3 in Monday's loss to the Phillies, dropping his season average to .244.
Impact: Jose Altuve lead off Monday while Schafer was dropped to the No. 2 spot. Schafer is just 6-for-36 (.167) with a 4:10 BB:K over his last 10 games, while his OBP has hovered below .300 during that span.

News: Harrell struck out three and walked two while giving up three runs -- two earned -- on five hits over 5.2 innings in a loss to the Phillies on Monday.
Impact: With a 22:18 K:BB in 45 innings, Harrell's time in the rotation could be nearing an end. In addition to chewing up innings every fifth day, Harrell is doing a consistently good job over keeping the ball in the yard with just two homers allowed this season.

News: Buck is starting in left field for the Astros on Monday night, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: He's been moving between the two corner outfield spots recently, but Buck has now started five of the Astros' last eight games as J.D. Martinez's recent slump has opened up a bit more playing time than expected.

News: Martinez is sitting for the fourth time in five games Monday, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports. He is amid a 1-for-35 slump.
Impact: With Martinez back on the bench, Travis Buck is playing left field and batting seventh for the Astros on Monday night. Martinez's slump has cost him the starting job in left field -- at least temporarily.

News: Snyder will start against the Phillies on Monday, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: The playing time has been chopped up fairly evenly behind the plate recently, but Snyder has been the lighter-hitting catcher for the Astros thus far and could certainly lose ground if Jason Castro heats up a bit at the plate.

News: Castro is not in the lineup Monday, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: He went 2-for-5 while getting the nod Sunday, but Chris Snyder is behind the plate against the Phillies on Monday night.

News: Snyder has moved into third on the all-time list of most career plate appearances without a stolen base, according to the team's official site. "I think statistics have proven I can stay in one place for a very long time and not get to a destination very quickly," Snyder said.
Impact: While you wouldn't exactly draft a catcher for his speed, Snyder's lack of speed (even for a catcher) reduces his ability to turn singles into doubles and to score from second on a single to the outfield. Next on his list is Johnny Estrada, who is just 12 plate appearances ahead of Snyder.

News: Myers blew his first save of the season Sunday against Pittsburgh, allowing a run on a hit and two walks.
Impact: It was Myers' first blown save of the year and just his second run allowed. His job is safe as long as he's in Houston, but it seems like a certainty he'll be traded at some point this season with the Astros looking to rebuild, which means he could be relegated to a setup role at that time.

News: Rodriguez took a no-decision despite a brilliant start Sunday against Pittsburgh, allowing just three hits and a run in eight innings.
Impact: Rodriguez struck out seven and walked just one and lost the victory when Brett Myers blew his first save of the season in the ninth. His ERA on the season is down to 1.99 and even though he won't maintain a .232 BABIP all season, he seems primed for an ERA in the low-3.00s when all is said and done.

News: Altuve is not in Sunday's lineup against the Pirates, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: Altuve will take a seat Sunday, with Marwin Gonzalez getting the start at second base and hitting eighth, while J.D. Martinez is back in the No. 3 slot.

News: Johnson is back in Sunday's lineup against the Pirates, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: Johnson is back in there Sunday after giving way to Matt Downs on Saturday.

News: Martinez is back in Sunday's lineup against the Pirates, Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Impact: The slumping Martinez is back in the Astros' lineup after starting the last three games on the bench. An 0-for-19 skid has seen his average drop to .230, but perhaps the off-time will help him get back on track.

News: Norris allowed three hits in six sharp innings and worked out of a pair of major jams to lead the Astros to a 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night.
Impact: Norris struck out eight and didn't walk a batter while dropping his ERA to 3.95.

News: Johnson had two hits in Friday's 1-0 win over the Bucs.
Impact: Johnson is a bit of a fantasy surprise with a .304 average.

News: Martinez is expected to return to the starting lineup Sunday, MLB.com reports.
Impact: Martinez was held out of the starting lineup the last three days. He's in a prolonged slump, getting just one hit through his last 10 games (29 at-bats).

News: Schafer went 4 for 5 with two doubles in a loss to the Marlins on Wednesday.
Impact: Schafer was hitless in five games this month before Wednesday. He's hitting .262.

News: The Astros placed Cruz on the 15-day disabled list with a right ankle sprain Tuesday.
Impact: The Astros recalled RHP Enerio Del Rosario from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take his place.

News: Rodriguez gave up a season-high four earned runs - including three jacks - in eight-plus innings Monday in a 4-0 loss to Miami.
Impact: Rodriguez entered the game having won three straight and had allowed just three runs combined in those starts. ``Anytime guys start hitting Wandy, you are surprised,'' Houston manager Brad Mills said. ``Whether they are home runs or whatever, he's been throwing the ball so well, and to give up three in one game, that's surprising.''