Peter Lambert Takes the Mound as Astros Open Series Against the Mariners
The Houston Astros will look to Peter Lambert to set the tone Monday night as they open their series against the Seattle Mariners at Daikin Park. Lambert has been one of the more intriguing arms in the Astros rotation this season. He was brought in as a non-roster invitee to stabilize a rotation that has been battered by injuries and inconsistency and at his best he has done exactly that.
His standout outing came against the Guardians where he delivered one of the best starts of his career. He went six innings allowing just three hits and striking out eight batters without giving up a single run. He worked through early traffic and settled in after the first few innings retiring 9 of the final 10 batters.
That is the version of Lambert the Astros need on Monday night. The problem is that version hasn't shown up every time out. Lambert has flashed the ability to be a reliable arm in this rotation but consistency has been the issue.
With Houston sitting at 16-25 and desperately needing wins the Astros need Lambert to be locked in from the first pitch. The good news is the Mariners are not exactly in great shape either and this is a winnable series for Houston. A strong Lambert outing could set the tone for the whole series.
If the pitching shows up and the offense provides some support the Astros have everything they need to start this series on the right foot.