Today's Matchup: Milwaukee (Gallardo) at Houston (Lyles)

This will be the Brewers final game in Houston while the Astros are still a National League team.

For Houston, Jordan Lyles (2-8, 5.69) will be taking the mound. Lyles has not had a very good start to his career thus far. In 2011, his rookie season, he had a 5.36 ERA and 4.53 FIP in 15 starts. This year has been even worse. Lyles has the 5.69 ERA with a 5.35 FIP. He has been limiting his walks (2.75 BB/9), but has just a 5.99 K/9 and a 1.77 HR/9. Further, Lyles has just been getting hit very hard with a near 11 Hit/9.

Still, there is plenty of hope for Lyles. He went into 2011 as Baseball-America's #42 prospect despite a middling 2010 minor league season. He is still just 21, though--the youngest member of a starting rotation in the league. He was a semi-full time starter last season as a 20-year-old. He should continue to improve and can certainly develop into a very good starting pitcher. Of course, that will probably now happen just before he reaches free agency as a 26 or 27-year-old.

Lyles throws four pitches, predominately: A 91 MPH four seamer (48%), a 79 MPH curveball (18%), an 86 MPH slider (17%), and a 91 MPH two seamer (12%). Lyles has faced four current Brewers hitters at least ten times. Here is how they have fared:

Meanwhile, it's Yovani Gallardo's (10-8, 3.79) turn in the rotation for the Brewers. In 2012, Gallardo has made 23 starts. He allowed five or more runs in four of those starts while he pitched a quality start in 18 of them. His latest outing was of the latter variety. Against the Reds Gallardo pitched seven strong innings, giving up one run on six hits and three walks. The only run came off of a homer. Gallardo's strikeouts haven't been there recently, though. Since his 14 strikeout game, Gallardo has sat down just sixteen hitters in 24.2 innings of work.

Gallardo has faced just three Houston hitters at least ten times. Here is how they have fared:

I'm moving out of my apartment, so I haven't seen a lineup.

In the bullpen:

Manny Parra pitched one inning (8 pitches) yesterday.
Jose Veras pitched one inning (16 pitches) yesterday.
Livan Hernandez pitched one inning (18 pitches) yesterday.
Jim Henderson pitched one inning (33 pitches) yesterday.
Kameron Loe pitched one inning (19 pitches) yesterday.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched one inning (16 pitches) Friday.
John Axford pitched .1 innings (22 pitches) Friday.
Mike McClendon last pitched a week ago.