(Photo credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images)

With their rotation beset by injuries, the Houston Astros need left-hander Framber Valdez to be their stopper.

That assignment will continue Monday night when the Astros visit the St. Louis Cardinals to open a three-game series.

Valdez (1-1, 2.50 ERA) threw six shutout innings in a no-decision Tuesday at Seattle in his previous start. He allowed just two hits while striking out eight and walking one as Houston won 2-1 in 12 innings.

That was the second time in three starts that he blanked his opponent. On March 27 against the New York Mets, Valdez threw seven shutout innings, giving up only four hits.

On Tuesday, he was stellar while recovering from an illness.

'I'm not going to lie, I wasn't feeling 100 percent, maybe like 70, 80 percent,' he told reporters through an interpreter. 'But the important thing is I went out there and I was able to do my job.'

With the Astros missing pitchers such as Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgery), Spencer Arrighetti (broken thumb), Lance McCullers Jr. (flexor tendon tear) and Cristian Javier (Tommy John surgery), performances like his gem in Seattle give the team a huge lift.

'I asked him, 'Dude, you're the ace of this team, need you to go out there and post and give us a good outing; we need you,'' Astros manager Joe Espada said. 'And he did.'

Valdez lost his only previous start against the Cardinals, which came in 2023. He allowed four runs on eight hits and three walks in six innings.

Astros second baseman Brendan Rodgers was sidelined the last three games with a sore hip. Mauricio Dubon went 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI in his place Sunday as Houston defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 to win the weekend series.

St. Louis will counter Valdez with its No. 1 starter, Sonny Gray (2-0, 4.50 ERA), on Monday. The Cardinals handled Gray with care in his last start, which came in blustery conditions in Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Gray had struggled during spring training while trying to regain lost velocity on his fastball. The right-hander allowed two homers and five runs in his six innings against the Angels on April 2 in his previous start.

But Gray held the Pirates to one run on three hits in five innings in a 5-3 victory. He struck out four and walked none while making just 71 pitches.

Gray has 19 strikeouts and just two walks in 16 innings this season. He is 4-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 12 career starts against the Astros.

With catcher Ivan Herrera (knee injury) and shortstop Masyn Winn (back spasms) on the injured list, the Cardinals need more from first baseman Willson Contreras.

After getting Friday off while sitting on a .102 batting average, Contreras went 4-for-8 with a homer, double and three RBIs in his next two games against the Philadelphia Phillies.

'I'm proud of that dude, the way we handled the down part of the beginning of this year,' Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. 'It's been impressive, especially you know what kind of player you have on your hands; he's an emotional guy. He's extremely competitive.'

--Field Level MediaNolan Arenado was 2-for-4 with an RBI double as the Cardinals defeated the Phillies 7-0 Sunday. The Cardinals need to get him hitting as well

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'This guy has been grinding, he got some really good swings today as well,' Marmol said. 'It was great to see both those guys come through like they did today.'

--Field Level Media