Orioles and Astros lineups (updated)

Domingo Leyba is playing third base tonight as the Orioles open a three-game series in Houston.

Maikel Franco and Anthony Santander are on the bench.

Austin Hays is in right field and batting second, Ryan McKenna is in left and Ramón Urías is playing shortstop. Pat Valaika gets the start at second base.

Urías has a seven-game hitting streak that was interrupted by his return to Triple-A Norfolk. He's 8-for-16 with a double, home run and six RBIs during the streak.

Leyba went 0-for-4 yesterday in his Orioles debut and is 0-for-26 in the majors this season.

"I'm really not putting a lot of pressure (on myself)," he said via interpreter Ramón Alarcón during a media Zoom call. "I'm just trying to get a good at-bat, to put good contact on it and hopefully the process will lead me to better results on the field."

Leyba is 7-for-51 (.137) in 35 major league games, but he's a career .289/.346/.436 hitter in eight minor league seasons. He's slashed .307/.355/.546 in 600 Triple-A plate appearances.

"I think it's the same baseball," he said. "I believe that maybe my previous organization, the opportunities were not there, the chances were not there, but playing on a regular basis I think will lead me to have better success."

Manager Brandon Hyde isn't naming a starting shortstop to replace injured Freddy Galvis, saying that he'll go with the hot hand.

"I think this is a huge opportunity that's being presented to me, so it's really up to me to continue to work hard," Leyba said. "I've been through a lot, so now it's the time to put that hard work to work.

"The first few days have been really good. This is my second day with the team. I've been fortunate enough to talk with some of my teammates. I do believe that this is a new beginning and hopefully good things come."

Hays is 6-for-17 with a double and two RBIs in his last five games.

Trey Mancini is back in the lineup and serving as the designated hitter.

Thomas Eshelman gets another opportunity against the team that drafted him in the second round in 2015. He allowed six runs and eight hits in four innings Wednesday night.

Zack Greinke faced the Orioles in his last start and held them to one run in 7 1/3 innings. Mancini had a double and Cedric Mullins had a sacrifice fly.

The Orioles have lost 16 of their last 18 games and are 24-54. The Astros swept them in a three-game series June 21-23 at Camden Yards and outscored them 26-3.

For the Orioles
Cedric Mullins CF
Austin Hays RF
Trey Mancini DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Ryan McKenna LF
Pedro Severino C
Domingo Leyba 3B
Ramón Urías SS
Pat Valaika 2B

Thomas Eshelman RHP

For the Astros
Jose Altuve 2B
Michael Brantley LF
Yuli Gurriel 1B
Yordan Alvarez DH
Carlos Correa SS
Kyle Tucker RF
Myles Straw CF
Robel García 3B
Martín Maldonado C

Zack Greinke RHP

Update: Hyde said Santander and Franco are available off the bench tonight. Santander's ankle is feeling a little better, but he's scuffling at the plate.

"Tony I talked to this morning," Hyde said on his Zoom call. "He's just beating himself up a little bit offensively with the bat. He wants to contribute so bad and it's just not coming right now."

Infielder Richie Martin, on the 60-day injured list with a fractured left wrist, is beginning a hitting progression in early to mid-July and he can start playing in games in early August if he avoids a setback.

The starter for Tuesday night won't be decided until late tonight. Hyde said it could be a bullpen game, with Travis Lakins Sr. and Adam Plutko possibilities.

"If I use one of them tonight, then the other one might start. I don't know what's going to happen," said Hyde, who needs a replacement for Dean Kremer. "We're keeping tomorrow up in the air."

Alexander Wells is available and he also could get the start after making his debut Saturday and tossing two scoreless innings.

"I think that any left-hander that doesn't have major league average velocity or above, command of the fastball is extremely important," Hyde said. "It looks like he does have some deception in his delivery, which will be helpful. I saw a breaking ball. He's got to be able to throw that for a strike and throw it strike to ball. His changeup's got to come into play because when you don't have the fastball weapon, you've got to be able to locate and throw the other pitches for strikes and then be able to leave the strike zone when you want to. So, hopefully he's able to do that his next time around."