Houston @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 10, 2016 ) Houston 0, Minnesota 0

The Houston Astros made a bold personnel decision by designating Carlos Gomez for assignment and hope the transaction can be looked back on as a courageous factor in their wild-card push. The Astros have the opportunity to record two wins on Thursday, when they visit the Minnesota Twins for a split doubleheader after Wednesday's game was postponed by rain.

The Astros, who trail Boston, Detroit and Seattle in the battle for the American League's second wild card, decided they no longer could live with the sub-par performances of Gomez. The two-time All-Star center fielder made two key defensive miscues on Monday in his final start for Houston and batted a disappointing .210 with five homers and 100 strikeouts this season. "It's not a secret that I wasn't doing my job," Gomez told reporters. "I'm really disappointed in myself. The organization traded for me because they needed a center fielder, and they gave me all the opportunity and I didn't do my job. I feel bad about this." Minnesota has won seven of its last 10 games and Brian Dozier is on a tear with six homers and 13 RBIs during the stretch.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Doug Fister (10-7, 3.47 ERA) vs. Twins RH Jose Berrios (2-2, 8.31)

Fister, who is winless in his last three starts, settled for a no-decision in his last turn after allowing one run and nine hits in six innings against Texas. He has yielded seven runs over his last four starts, with six of them coming in a loss to the New York Yankees. Fister is 5-7 with a 3.10 ERA in 12 career starts against the Twins and has struggled with Dozier (6-for-11, one homer).

Berrios is making the seventh start of his rookie campaign and third during his second stint in the majors. He lost to Tampa Bay on Saturday, when he gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. Berrios recorded his first major-league victory on May 2 as he limited Houston to two runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings, with the Astros' runs coming on solo homers by George Springer and Preston Tucker.

WALK-OFFS

1. Astros 2B Jose Altuve, who was 4-for-4 on Tuesday, is batting .424 in August to raise his major league-leading average to .361.

2. The Twins placed RHP Trevor May (back) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP J.T. Chargois from Triple-A Rochester.

3. Houston will recall LHP Kevin Chapman from Triple-A Fresno as the 26th player for the second game, while Minnesota will summon LHP Andrew Albers from Rochester.

PREDICTION: Astros 5, Twins 3