Rain Postpones Astros-Orioles; Teng Kai-wei to Start Opener of Thursday Doubleheader

Key facts

• Wednesday's game postponed due to inclement weather, tarp on field four hours before first pitch.
• Makeup doubleheader Thursday: first game at 12:35 p.m., second starts ~30 minutes after first ends.
• Peter Lambert (1-1, 3.27 ERA) starts opener for Astros; Lance McCullers Jr. (1-2, 6.75) starts second game.
• Orioles' Chris Bassitt (1-2, 6.75) starts first game; Brandon Young (2-0, 2.53) starts second contest.
• Teng Kai-wei, only Taiwanese pitcher in MLB, starts series opener Thursday for Astros.
• Teng has 2.16 ERA over 16.2 innings with 16 strikeouts and 0.90 WHIP this season.
• Astros have MLB-worst 5.97 team ERA.
• First postponement of 2026 season for both teams.

Postponement Forces Doubleheader

A game between the Houston Astros and Baltimore Orioles was postponed Wednesday due to persistent rain, with the tarp already on the field and forecasts calling for continued precipitation. The decision came roughly four hours before the scheduled first pitch, marking the first postponement of the season for both clubs. The teams will play a traditional single-admission doubleheader Thursday at Oriole Park. The first game is set for 12:35 p.m., and the second will begin approximately 30 minutes after the first concludes.

Pitching Plans Reshuffled

Houston adjusted its rotation immediately. Right-hander Peter Lambert (1-1, 3.27 ERA), who was slated to start Wednesday, will now start the opener. Fellow righty Lance McCullers Jr. (1-2, 6.75), originally scheduled for Thursday, will take the ball in the second game. Baltimore initially planned to send Chris Bassitt (1-2, 6.75) on Wednesday and Brandon Young (2-0, 2.53) on Thursday. Under the new schedule, Bassitt will start the first game and Young the second, according to a team official.

Teng Kai-wei Gets First Start Since Trade

The Astros will turn to right-hander Teng Kai-wei for the series opener Thursday, a move necessitated by a pitching shortage. Teng, the only Taiwanese pitcher currently in Major League Baseball, was acquired from the San Francisco Giants in January and has exclusively worked out of the bullpen this season. Astros general manager Dana Brown acknowledged internal discussions about moving Teng from the bullpen after the pitcher threw 2⅔ scoreless innings against the Cleveland Guardians on April 21, his longest outing of the year. Manager Joe Espada praised Teng's performance, calling it “phenomenal” and noting his ability to bridge to the back end of the bullpen, handle both righties and lefties, and generate swing-and-miss.

Teng's Season So Far

Teng has posted a 2.16 ERA over 16⅔ innings, with 16 strikeouts and a 0.90 WHIP, establishing himself as the Astros' most reliable reliever. His average pitch count this season is just 23.4 per game, a sharp drop from 51 per game in 2024 and 71.6 last year, when he started seven of eight outings for the Giants. Thursday's start will test his ability to adjust quickly to a starter's workload, though the team does not expect him to throw as many pitches as he did last season. The Astros, who own the worst team ERA in MLB at 5.97, are desperate for stability from their injury-ravaged pitching staff.

What Comes Next

The doubleheader will determine the shape of the three-game series, with the Astros seeking to reverse their pitching woes and the Orioles aiming to build momentum. Baltimore has not announced any further rotation adjustments beyond the first two games. Teng's start carries additional significance as the only Taiwanese-born player in the majors, drawing attention from fans in Taiwan and across the baseball world. His performance could influence Houston's long-term plans for a rotation that has been decimated by injuries.

The bottom line

• Wednesday's rainout forces a Thursday doubleheader at Oriole Park, first game at 12:35 p.m.
• Astros start Peter Lambert (opener) and Lance McCullers Jr. (nightcap); Orioles counter with Chris Bassitt and Brandon Young.
• Teng Kai-wei makes his first start for Houston since being traded from the Giants in January.
• Teng has a 2.16 ERA and 0.90 WHIP this season; Astros have MLB-worst 5.97 team ERA.
• Both teams faced their first postponement of the 2026 season.