The Houston Astros hit the road on Friday, September 11, 2026, heading to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg for a 7:10 PM ET first pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays. With the regular season winding down and every game carrying weight in the standings, Houston will send right-hander Miguel Ullola to the mound against Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen. This is a divisional-adjacent interleague matchup late in the year — the kind of game that can quietly define a September stretch run. Catch the action on Space City Home Network or KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2.
Astros at Rays Pitching Matchup: Ullola vs. Rasmussen
Miguel Ullola gets the ball for Houston in what figures to be a meaningful late-season start. Ullola has been working his way into the Astros' rotation conversation, and a road start against a Tampa Bay club that knows how to manufacture runs and grind out at-bats will be a legitimate test of his stuff and command. Keeping the ball in the park at Tropicana Field and limiting walks will be essential — the Rays are disciplined enough to turn free passes into damage.
On the other side, Drew Rasmussen takes the hill for Tampa Bay. When healthy, Rasmussen has shown the ability to mix his fastball with a sharp slider to neutralize right-handed hitters. Houston's lineup will need to stay patient and work counts early to get a read on his stuff. If the Astros can get deep into Rasmussen's pitch count through the first time through the order, the Tampa Bay bullpen becomes the conversation.
Keys to Watch for Houston
- Ullola's command: The Rays will work counts and make pitchers earn every out. Ullola needs to throw strikes early and keep his pitch count manageable through five or six innings.
- Run support: Road games at Tropicana Field can be tricky affairs. Houston's lineup needs to put crooked numbers on the board early rather than waiting for a late-inning comeback.
- Bullpen management: If Ullola exits early, the Astros will need their relief arms to hold the line. Late-inning depth is everything in September.
- Situational hitting: Tampa Bay pitchers typically force weak contact and generate ground balls. Houston's hitters will need to stay through the ball and capitalize when runners are in scoring position.
Prediction
This is a game that could go either way on the strength of pitching alone. Rasmussen presents a genuine challenge for Houston's offense, but the Astros have enough professional at-bats in that lineup to string together a few productive innings. Ullola's performance will ultimately be the determining factor — if he can give Houston five or six innings of quality work and keep the Rays' offense off the board, the Astros have the lineup depth to win a close one. Look for a tight, low-scoring game that comes down to the late innings. Astros 4, Rays 3.
