The Philadelphia Phillies return to Citizens Bank Park on Thursday, September 10 at 1:05 PM ET to host the Houston Astros in a regular-season afternoon matchup that carries real weight down the September stretch. Zack Wheeler takes the ball for the Phillies opposite Houston's Cristian Javier. With the lineup locked in and two legitimate starting pitchers squaring off, this is exactly the kind of game that can define where a club stands heading into the final weeks of the regular season.

Phillies vs. Astros Starting Pitchers: Wheeler vs. Javier

Zack Wheeler is the story here. When Wheeler is on the mound at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies are a different ballclub. He is as reliable a number-one starter as any team in baseball can put forward, and the Phillies need him to be sharp. Houston sends Cristian Javier to the hill — a pitcher who can be difficult to square up when his stuff is working. Javier's combination of velo and deception makes him a threat regardless of lineup construction, so the Phillies cannot afford passive at-bats early.

Philadelphia Phillies Starting Lineup

• 1. Kyle Schwarber — DH
• 2. Trea Turner — SS
• 3. Bryce Harper — RF
• 4. Luis Arraez — 2B
• 5. Alec Bohm — 1B
• 6. Bryson Stott — 3B
• 7. Brandon Marsh — LF
• 8. Justin Crawford — CF
• 9. Rafael Marchán — C

Houston Astros Starting Lineup

• 1. Jeremy Peña — SS
• 2. Yordan Alvarez — DH
• 3. Isaac Paredes — 3B
• 4. Jose Altuve — 2B
• 5. Daulton Varsho — CF
• 6. Christian Walker — 1B
• 7. Cam Smith — RF
• 8. Taylor Trammell — LF
• 9. Christian Vázquez — C

Keys to Watch in Thursday's Game

Wheeler's Command Against a Patient Astros Lineup

Houston has always been a disciplined offensive club. Yordan Alvarez and Jose Altuve anchor a lineup that works counts and punishes mistake pitches. Wheeler needs to establish his fastball early and mix his slider effectively to keep the Astros off-balance. If he's locating, this could be a dominant outing. If the Astros get deep into counts and grind at-bats, the Phillies bullpen will face added pressure late.

Schwarber and Harper Setting the Tone Early

Kyle Schwarber hitting leadoff gives the Phillies an immediate power threat, and Bryce Harper batting third means Houston cannot afford to put anyone on base with ease. If Javier struggles to put Schwarber away in the first couple of innings, this lineup can do damage in a hurry. Harper in the three-hole also means Turner benefits from seeing better pitches in the two-spot — a dynamic that can open the game up fast.

Luis Arraez Batting Cleanup — A Contact Wrinkle

Batting Luis Arraez fourth is an unconventional choice, but it speaks to the Phillies' confidence in his ability to make consistent contact and drive runners in. If Harper reaches base ahead of him, Arraez becomes a problem for Javier, who needs strikeouts to be effective. Arraez simply does not give them away.

Prediction

This has the makings of a low-scoring, pitcher-driven afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Wheeler holds Houston to two runs or fewer and goes at least six strong innings. The Phillies offense does enough against Javier by the fifth inning to take control. Expect a tight but satisfying Phillies win, something in the range of 3-1 or 4-2. Citizens Bank Park should be rocking for a September afternoon game that matters.

Catch the game locally on NBC 10 and NBCSP, or tune into 94 WIP on the radio.