September 29, 2026 — The Houston Astros set their 26-player roster for the American League Wild Card Series against the Chicago White Sox, adding right-handed pitcher Tatsuya Imai while leaving rookie Ethan Pecko and reliever Steven Okert off the list. MLB reported the selections Tuesday before Game 1 at Houston’s Daikin Park. No game result had been reported when this article was prepared.
How Houston built its roster
The Astros chose 12 pitchers and 14 position players for the best-of-three series, according to MLB’s roster report. Imai made the pitching group, while Pecko did not. MLB reported that Pecko was dealing with a nagging injury; the team’s roster decision is confirmed, but his availability beyond this series has not been established here. Okert also was omitted while working back from a hamstring injury. The Associated Press’s September 29 postseason roster report independently listed Imai on Houston’s roster and Pecko among the omissions.
Houston also kept infielder Raynel Delgado for additional infield coverage and selected outfielder Joey Loperfido over LaMonte Wade Jr., MLB reported. The club’s mix includes established postseason players and newcomers: MLB counted 13 roster members without playoff experience. That contrast is part of the roster story, but it does not predict the outcome of the series.
The series context
The White Sox are visiting the Astros for the opening game on Tuesday, September 29. MLB listed a 5 p.m. Eastern start. Houston won the AL West and earned home-field advantage for this best-of-three round, according to MLB’s postseason preview.
Roster choices can change a team’s pitching options over a short series. For Houston, Imai’s inclusion gives the staff another arm while the absence of Pecko and Okert narrows other possibilities. The game itself will determine whether those choices become decisive. Readers new to October baseball can consult AskNovus’s 2026 MLB postseason bracket guide.
Sources
- MLB Astros roster report, September 29, 2026
- Associated Press postseason roster report, September 29, 2026
- MLB Astros postseason preview, September 2026
Featured image: baseball photograph by Émile Dionne via Unsplash. It does not show the Astros–White Sox game.
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