The Houston Astros desperately need to fortify their pitching if they want to contend for the American League in 2026, and that desperation might get even worse following Tuesday’s news.
Two days ago, the Astros put their best pitcher and one of the strongest in all of baseball, Hunter Brown, on the 15-day injured reserve due to a shoulder strain.
While the Astros remained optimistic that it might be a precautionary move that could see Brown return in two weeks, those hopes were shattered when a harsh update on his condition came out on Tuesday.
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Not only will Brown be missing two weeks of action, but he is also almost assuredly going to miss two months and possibly even longer, as he has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 shoulder strain.
Generally, with a Grade 2 shoulder strain, a pitcher like Brown won’t even touch a ball or begin throwing for 6-8 weeks, and then he’ll have to build up his throwing motion again, which could also take weeks.
And that’s if his shoulder heals naturally and there are no setbacks.
For the Astros, it’s disastrous news, as Brown was one of the lone bright spots with their pitching this season, as he started two games and only gave up a single earned run.
The other four Astros starters? 27 earned runs already this regular season.
Brown’s absence will put more pressure on new Japanese signing Tatsuya Imai to step up as a rookie in his first season in the United States. Although he had a rough first start, Imai bounced back 5.2 innings against the Athletics without giving up a run.
Currently at 6-5, the Astros will need to keep pace if they want to be in a playoff position when Brown returns from his injury, which could now be after the All-Star Game.