Cristian Javier RHP
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
5.98
170th
WHIP
1.55
177th
K/9
9.06
96th
BB/9
3.99
179th
P-Score37i
FIP
–
HR/9
1.63
155th
OPS/R
–
IP
49.2
Last 5 starts
ERA
5.24
FinalFinal lineupsAL West / NL East
Houston Astros 2, Philadelphia Phillies 1
Final Score and Game Recap
Final score, pitching lines and standings context.
1:05 PM ET · Citizens Bank ParkGame-day snapshot Sep 10, 3:45 PM ETFinal lineups lockedCurrent 2026 season stats — updated Oct 24, 5:00 AM ET
Astros edge Phillies 2-1 as Cam Smith starts it and Taylor Trammell finishes it
Unlike the pregame outlook that centered on a Zack Wheeler advantage, Thursday’s matchup turned into a tight, low-scoring duel before the Astros scratched out the deciding run in the ninth for a 2-1 win over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.
Houston struck first in the second when Cam Smith went deep, accounting for the game’s first run and continuing a strong night that included two hits, a walk and both an RBI and a run scored.
Wheeler kept Philadelphia in position after that, allowing just one run over seven innings while striking out nine. But Cristian Javier matched him closely enough, limiting the Phillies to three hits and one run over six innings with five strikeouts.
Philadelphia finally pulled even in the fifth. Luis Arraez scored the tying run on Bryson Stott’s RBI, but that was all the Phillies could generate against Javier and the Houston bullpen.
The Astros broke the tie in the ninth against Jhoan Duran. Taylor Trammell delivered the go-ahead RBI, and that was enough for Bryan Abreu, who earned the win after a dominant eighth inning with three strikeouts. Josh Hader handled the ninth for his 25th save.
- Houston won 2-1 by scoring in the second on Cam Smith’s homer and in the ninth on Taylor Trammell’s go-ahead RBI.
- Cristian Javier and Zack Wheeler both delivered strong starts: Javier allowed 1 run in 6 innings, while Wheeler gave up 1 run in 7 innings with 9 strikeouts.
- The Astros’ bullpen finished the game with three scoreless, hitless innings, with Bryan Abreu getting the win and Josh Hader earning save No. 25.
Pitching recap
| Pitcher | Team | Role | IP | H | ER | BB | K | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cristian Javier | HOU | Starter | 6.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 79 |
| Bryan Abreu | HOU | ReliefWin | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Josh Hader | HOU | ReliefSave | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Zack Wheeler | PHI | Starter | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 110 |
| Jhoan Duran | PHI | ReliefLoss | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 |
Scoring by inning
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Astros | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 0 |
 Philadelphia Phillies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
Top hitters
Cam Smith2-for-3 · 1 HR · 1 RBI · 1 BB
Taylor Trammell1-for-3 · 1 RBI · 1 BB
Bryson Stott0-for-3 · 1 RBI
Jose Altuve2-for-4
Luis Arraez1-for-3 · 1 R
Matchup at a glance
PitcherStat calculationPregame contextStarting pitchers
Zack Wheeler RHP
2026 season (MLB rank among qualified starters)
ERA
3.23
28th
WHIP
1.08
18th
K/9
10.76
18th
BB/9
2.84
62nd
P-Score73i
FIP
–
HR/9
1.32
104th
OPS/R
–
IP
136.1
Last 5 starts
ERA
5.54
Wheeler-Javier gap looms large as Astros and Phillies bring similar offenses into Philadelphia
For a matchup between two clubs with remarkably similar season scoring profiles, Thursday’s game at Citizens Bank Park may come down to the one area that is not especially close: the probable starting pitchers.
Philadelphia is set to send Zack Wheeler to the mound with the stronger statistical profile across the board. In 24 starts, Wheeler has worked 136.1 innings with a 3.23 ERA, 3.64 FIP and 1.08 WHIP, while striking out 10.8 batters per nine. Houston’s Cristian Javier, limited to nine starts and 49.2 innings, enters at 5.98 with a 4.88 FIP, 1.55 WHIP and a 9.1 K/9.
The gap shows up in more than one category. Wheeler has allowed fewer walks and home runs per nine innings, and his 58 percent quality-start rate dwarfs Javier’s 11 percent. If this game turns into a duel of who can control traffic and keep hitters from getting extra chances, the Phillies clearly hold the edge on the mound.
What makes the matchup interesting is that the offenses are much harder to separate. Houston has scored 4.52 runs per game to Philadelphia’s 4.51, and the Astros hold slight advantages in OBP (.315 to .312), slugging (.410 to .401) and OPS (.725 to .713). Those are real differences, but they are modest ones, especially compared with the starting-pitching split. Philadelphia is a touch better in batting average, .243 to .241.
Recent form does not do much to break the tie. Both teams are 6-4 over their last 10 games, and both have scored a little less in that stretch than they have over the full season. Houston has averaged 4.2 runs over its last 10, Philadelphia 4.1.
The bullpen comparison also points only slightly toward the Phillies. Philadelphia’s relief group carries a 3.95 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 9.9 K/9, compared with Houston’s 4.11 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 9.0 K/9. That is an edge, but not the kind that overshadows the more pronounced difference between Wheeler and Javier.
Philadelphia enters 82-64 and sits second in the NL East, three games back, while Houston is 74-72 and in first place in the AL West. With lineups still unconfirmed, the clearest pregame read is this: the bats are close, the recent records are close, but the Phillies arrive with the more favorable pitching setup.
- The biggest statistical gap is on the mound: Zack Wheeler leads Cristian Javier in ERA, FIP, WHIP, K/9, BB/9, HR/9 and quality-start rate.
- Houston and Philadelphia have nearly identical season scoring averages, with the Astros holding slight edges in OBP, SLG and OPS.
- Both teams are 6-4 over their last 10 games, and the bullpen comparison is relatively narrow, giving this matchup a strong starting-pitching focus.
How the lineups match the starters' pitch mix
Pitch data coverage: partial. Usage and velocity only.
Team OPS vs opposing starter's hand
Lineups
Final lineupsOrder from the stored snapshot; treat as unofficial until the card is filed.Full lineup page
Team comparison
HOU·PHIAVG.242 18th.240 21st
OPS.732 7th.707 22nd
Home runs226 1st182 17th
Runs734 13th713 19th
OBP.315 19th.312 23rd
SLG.417 4th.395 24th
HOU·PHI1stMLB rank30th
HOUPHI
HOUPHI
HOUPHI
HOUPHI
HOU·PHI1stMLB rank30th
no league rank
no league rank
HOUPHI
HOU·PHI+36515th
Run differential
+35616th
81–81 Record88–74
6–4 Last 106–4
Last 10 games
L
W
L
L
W
W
W
L
W
W
W
L
W
L
W
L
L
W
W
W
2026 head-to-head
Season Series
3—0
Frequently asked
Who is starting for the Astros?+
Cristian Javier (5.98 ERA, 2–5) is listed as the starter.
Who is starting for the Phillies?+
Zack Wheeler (3.23 ERA, 12–5) is listed as the starter.
What time does the game start?+
1:05 PM ET at Citizens Bank Park.
Where is the game being played?+
Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Are the lineups confirmed?+
Not as official league cards. The orders shown are the current projected or last-posted lineups.
How have the Astros and Phillies performed head-to-head?+
Season series: Phillies 0–3 this season.
How do the starters compare on P-Score?+
Cristian Javier is at 37; Zack Wheeler is at 73. P-Score is PitcherStat's 0–100 season index for qualified starters.