ON DECK: OAKLAND A’S AT ASTROS

When/where: 6:20 p.m. Thursday, 7:10 p.m. Friday, 6:10 p.m. Saturday, 1:10 p.m. Sunday; Minute Maid Park.

TV/radio: Fox on Thursday, ATTSW on Friday, Saturday and Sunday; 790 AM, 93.3 FM (Spanish) and 1010 AM (Spanish) all four games; 740 AM on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Pitchers: Thursday, RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (3-1, 2.20) vs. RHP James Kaprielian (3-9, 4.79); Friday, RHP Justin Verlander (16-3, 1.84) vs. RHP Adrián Martinez (4-4, 5.59); Saturday, RHP José Urquidy (13-6, 3.75) vs. LHP Cole Irvin (8-11, 3.73); Sunday, LHP Framber Valdez (15-5, 2.50) vs. LHP Ken Waldichuk (0-1, 5.40).

Astros (93-50) update: This series wraps up divisional play for Houston this year. The Astros are 48-24 against their American League West brethren, including 9-6 against the A’s. … With a team earned run average of 2.93, the Astros seem practically assured of beating the franchise record for a full 162-game season. The 1980 staff holds the mark of 3.10. … Valdez, who shut out the Tigers on Tuesday, can become the first pitcher in MLB history with 25 consecutive quality starts in one season. At 24 and counting, he has equaled the 2018 mark of Jacob deGrom, who added two to his streak in 2019. … Ryne Stanek’s 1.12 ERA ranks first in the majors among qualified relievers. … Yordan Alvarez has three doubles and two home runs in his past five games and has hit safely in 10 of his past 11. … For his career, Kyle Tucker is 50-for-56 (.893) in stolen base attempts, including 22-for-24 (.917) this year. … Yuli Gurriel has hit one home run in his past 60 games. It came Tuesday against the Tigers.

Athletics (52-91) update: Oakland, which rallied to beat Texas on Wednesday night, is 3-9 in September. … This marks just the second season the A’s have been more than 36 games below .500 since moving to Oakland in 1968. The 1979 A’s reached a low of 55 games under before winning their finale to finish 54-108. … The A’s .217 team batting average is the majors’ worst. Only two teams in AL history hit below .217: the 1910 White Sox (.211) and 1968 Yankees (.214). Two Rangers teams (1972, 2020) hit .217. … Oakland has used 60 players in 2022, besting the previous franchise record of 56 by the 1915 Philadelphia A’s. … Tony Kemp has reached base in 14 consecutive games, going 18-for-53 (.340) with 14 runs and 12 RBIs in that span. … Sean Murphy ranks second among AL catchers in hits (119) and RBIs (64) and is third in home runs (18).