Astros Are Falling Apart And It's Only Getting Worse

April 10, 2026
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada walks to the mound during 2026 game.

The Houston Astros entered 2026 counting on Hunter Brown to carry their rotation after losing Framber Valdez to free agency. 

Through two starts, Brown was arguably one of the best pitchers in baseball with a 0.84 ERA in 10.2 innings with a 39.5% strikeout rate. 

Then he felt off during a throwing program on Friday April 4th, underwent imaging, and flew back to Houston to see team doctors. The diagnosis came back as a Grade 2 shoulder strain. Manager Joe Espada told reporters Brown would be shut down from throwing for a few weeks, with a reevaluation in two weeks' time. 

Even in the most optimistic scenario, where Brown resumes throwing on schedule, gets through a few bullpen sessions, then needs minor league rehab starts, he's looking at a month-plus absence. 

That's before you even account for the reality that Grade 2 strains don't always follow the timeline. 

Then on Wednesday in Colorado, Cristian Javier warmed up to start the second inning, called catcher Christian Vazquez and the training staff to the mound, and walked off the field with shoulder tightness. 

Two Astros starters down in one week, with no days off for 13 straight games beginning this Friday.

A Rotation That Was Already Shaky

Without Brown, Houston's remaining starters are Mike Burrows, Tatsuya Imai, Lance McCullers Jr., and Javier, and now Javier's status is unclear too. 

Burrows has significant upside but has struggled early. McCullers was sharp in his first outing but posted a 6.15 ERA last season and hasn't thrown 60 innings in a big league season since 2021. Javier offered signs of life returning from Tommy John surgery last year, then got shelled for six earned runs in each of his first two starts before Wednesday's early exit. 

To manage the grueling upcoming schedule, the Astros had already planned to move to a six-man rotation, but with Brown out and Javier now a question mark, they're scrambling to piece together that sixth spot from Triple-A options like Spencer Arrighetti, Colton Gordon and Ryan Weiss, none of whom are frontline arms. 

Houston currently has the second-worst team ERA in baseball, which is a brutal number for a team that leads the AL in nearly every offensive category. 

Yordan Alvarez is raking, the lineup is dangerous, but the pitching just keeps giving it back.

Are the Astros Already Deadline Buyers?

Houston's bullpen isn't helping either. 

Closer Josh Hader has been out all season with biceps tendinitis, though an recent update indicates he's expected to face hitters for the first time next week. Fill-in closer Bryan Abreu has allowed at least one run in four of his first four appearances, converting just one of three save opportunities, and took a loss most recently after surrendering a walk-off three-run homer to Brent Rooker on Sunday. 

GM Dana Brown said after the Brown injury that the depth signing the team did last offseason was precisely for moments like this, but there's a big difference between depth and a legit playoff rotation. 

If this holds through May, Houston will almost certainly be aggressive at the trade deadline. The AL West is messy enough that the Astros aren't buried yet, but a team built to win now can't keep absorbing rotation hits and expect the lineup to be able to bail them out every night.

Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Go To: NFL Rumors | NBA Rumors | NHL Rumors