Astros set Teng Kai-wei to start against Guardians

Houston Astros' 27-year-old Taiwanese pitcher Teng Kai-wei is set to make his next start against the Cleveland Guardians on June 21, aiming for his fourth win of the season. This upcoming game will be played at home.

Teng has faced challenges in his recent outings. In June, he has started three games, posting a high earned run average of 10.22. Over 12.1 innings pitched this month, he has allowed 17 runs, with 14 being earned. His batting average against is .351, and his WHIP stands at 1.34.

Furthermore, Teng's pitching velocity has shown a decline. In his last start, his four-seam fastball averaged 92.5 mph, slower than his season average of 93.9 mph. This season, Teng has appeared in 21 games, with 8 starts, holding a 3-6 record and a 4.31 ERA. His performance as a reliever has been notably stronger, with a 1.80 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP in 13 appearances, compared to a 5.77 ERA and 1.63 WHIP in his 8 starts.

Teng could potentially face Cleveland's Stuart Fairchild, a player of Taiwanese-American heritage, in the game. Fairchild has a .214 batting average this season and typically faces left-handed pitchers, making a matchup with the right-handed Teng uncertain.