Orioles and Astros lineups, Eflin updates shoulder injury

Cedric Mullins is in center field tonight after being absent from the lineups in Queens.

Colton Cowser is playing left field and Ryan O’Hearn is in right. Anthony Santander is the designated hitter.

Adley Rutschman is batting fifth. Jackson Holliday is seventh.

Gunnar Henderson is slugging .717 in 28 games against the American League West this season.

The Orioles have homered in 16 consecutive games, tied for the third-longest streak by any team this season behind the Twins (28) and Orioles (22 straight in June) per STATS.

Corbin Burnes is 12-5 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.106 WHIP in 25 starts. He allowed a career-high eight runs and 10 hits in four innings against the Red Sox in his last outing.

Burnes faced the Astros on June 22 in Houston and allowed four runs in seven innings. Yordan Alvarez and Chas McCormick hit home runs. He’s 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA and 1.077 WHIP in three career games (two starts) in 13 innings against the Astros.

The Orioles were swept in a three-game series at Minute Maid Park in June to begin a five-game losing streak.

The Orioles are searching for their first series win over the Astros at home since May 2015, going 0-6-1 in that stretch. They won five home series from 2005 and 2015.

The Yankees won this afternoon and have a one-game lead in the division.

Zach Eflin said today that his right shoulder feels “10 times better” than it did a few days ago and he isn’t “remotely focusing” on a rehab assignment. He sounded confident that he’d be ready after his 15 days are up.

“As I stand today, for sure,” he said.

Eflin’s assignment on the 15-day injured list is retroactive to Saturday. He’s eligible to return Sept. 2.

“It’s not really something I’ve dealt with before, but at the end of the day I’m not really concerned about it, either,” he said. “It was mostly that it just didn’t get to a point where I felt comfortable enough going without it affecting the next month, month and a half, two months. So as much as it sucks, kind of get it out of the way. Standing here today it already feels 10 times better than it did the other day, so feeling really good about it.

“It was more so kind of like lingering tightness, some inflammation that didn’t really go down as much as I had hoped it would in between starts. So it doesn’t feel like a red flag to me or anything. More so just didn’t have enough time to completely heal before going back out there.”

The Astros are starting rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti, who’s 5-11 with a 5.20 ERA and 1.455 WHIP in 22 games. He’s averaging 4.2 walks and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

Arrighetti began the month by allowing one run and striking out 12 batters over six innings against the Rays and two runs and striking out 13 in seven innings at Boston. He faced the White Sox on Friday and allowed four runs with five strikeouts in 5 2/3.

Arrighetti has a 4.34 ERA and 1.286 WHIP at home and a 6.09 ERA and 1.628 WHIP on the road.

The Astros hold a five-game lead over the Mariners in the AL West. They’ve won 10 of their last 13.

For the Orioles

Colton Cowser LF
Anthony Santander DH
Gunnar Henderson SS
Ryan O’Hearn RF
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Jackson Holliday 2B
Cedric Mullins CF
Ramón Urías 3B

Corbin Burnes RHP

Jud Fabian hits his first Triple-A home run today at Norfolk.

First-round pick Vance Honeycutt has reported to Single-A Delmarva after a brief stint in Sarasota. He’s wearing No. 7 if anyone wants to purchase a jersey.

For the Astros

Jose Altuve 2B
Alex Bregman DH
Yordan Alvarez LF
Yainer Diaz 1B
Victor Caratini C
Ben Gamel RF
Jake Meyers CF
Shay Whitcomb 3B
Mauricio Dubón SS

Spencer Arrighetti RHP