It didn’t take long for the Astros’ efforts to build pitching depth this offseason to be derailed by a familiar problem: injuries.
Less than a month into the 2026 campaign, this is not the position the Astros wanted to find themselves in again. After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018, they were highly motivated to make sure they weren't watching from the comfort of their own home two years in a row.
Unfortunately, all of the offseason work has gone off track. With a growing number of pitchers on the injured list, the outlook for the coming months is not promising.
Most recently, right-hander Cristian Javier exited Wednesday’s game with shoulder tightness, and anchor Hunter Brown was shut down with a right shoulder strain earlier this week.
The Astros brought in several right-handed arms, including Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows, Kai-Wei Teng, and Ryan Weiss, for injury insurance and to lighten workloads. Instead, those same arms are being pushed into bigger roles almost immediately.
After the 2025 season, defined by injuries, this is not where the Houston Astros hoped to be in 2026, let alone this early in the season.
Yesterday offered the first real glimpse into where their staff stands with these injuries weighing them down. Tatsuya Imai, who is likely feeling the pressure more than anyone else on the pitching staff, started the first game of the series against the Seattle Mariners.
The final score was 9 to 6, as the Astros continued their losing streak while the Mariners kept theirs from growing.
Although Imai had a solid performance during his last outing, last night was a different outcome entirely. Imai didn't make it through the first inning of his third major league start before being replaced by Steven Okert.
The hope is that it is just growing pains as he adjusts to the major leagues, but walking away from his third major league start with these stats is not great. Here is a look:
.1 IP, 1 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 0 SO, 37 pitches
With Imai not performing the way anyone had hoped, and the rest of their additions not holding their own, these injuries are bringing them down more than they should. Luckily, they have Lance McCullers Jr., but he cannot pitch inning after inning, game after game until Brown is back on the mound. Bullpens exist for a reason, and right now, theirs is being stretched thin. With injuries still stacking up, the Astros’ pitching depth is being tested far earlier than anyone expected.