The Houston Astros faced a brutal loss during the offseason when southpaw ace Framber Valdez found a new home with the Detroit Tigers. But amid the chaos, the Astros went to work in free agency and the trade market, intending to bolster their pitching staff, particularly their starting rotation.
The ballclub, fortunately, retained Hunter Brown, who stands as one of their key starters. Houston was also able to bring two notable arms to the Lone Star State—Mike Burrows and Tatsuya Imai. This duo made up two of the most significant moves made by the franchise during the offseason, and their additions should provide a massive boost to the rotation, which heavily struggled last year.
Although there’s plenty to look forward to when it comes to Houston’s rotation, this season will not come without its flaws, and if history repeats itself, their pitching staff could be the first to take a hit.
The Astros’ have some boom or bust arms right now, but which ones stand out the most?
Projecting Astros Boom or Bust Candidates
Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Burrows | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
When projecting who Houston’s most successful starters will be, it’s a tight race between Mike Burrows and Tatsuya Imai.
Imai’s signing made a substantial noise during the offseason, but the three-team trade deal involving Mike Burrows didn’t turn as many heads. Now, the 26-year-old has limited experience in the Major Leagues, but Imai has even less.
Burrows’ recent performance on the mound has been rather concerning; he’s currently carrying a 7.94 ERA and six strikeouts across 5.2 innings pitched through his first start of the regular season. He walked two hitters during the matchup.
This wasn’t a desirable way to begin his campaign, but there’s still reason to believe that he will kick things into high gear. In his short time in the Majors, he hasn’t been known for his hot starts early on in the season. Rather, he’s been a bit of a slow burn, and that stands true this year.
Taking this into account, projecting him to be a potential boom candidate wouldn’t be too far-fetched. As for bust potential, Cristian Javier seems to be the more likely contender. In his first start of the season, on March 28, he recorded a disappointing 11.57 ERA and one strikeout across 4.2 innings pitched with four walks.
He struggled with his command, which is already raising some red flags. He’s considered to be a high-risk arm, and it wouldn’t be a major surprise if he were to show signs of inconsistency throughout the year. Of course, he could shut down all doubts fairly quickly with strong starts in his upcoming matchups, but don’t be shocked if things take a sour turn.