Arrighetti has quickly become one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2026. While the Astros have been dealing with injuries and struggles, he has been a constant bright spot. For a guy who started the season in Triple-A, he has made a real impact in the majors.
Since ERA became an official stat in 1913, he is the only pitcher in MLB history to enter June with 7+ wins, a sub-1.50 ERA, and fewer than 30 hits allowed. That is not just good; that is historically good. Over 100 years of baseball, and nobody has done this.
Who Is Spencer Arrighetti
26 years old, born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and drafted by the Astros in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Louisiana-Lafayette. He made his MLB debut on April 10, 2024. The 2025 season was an injury-plagued one, and he made just seven starts due to elbow and thumb injuries. He left the final five days of spring training to be with his wife for the birth of their twin boys, and was optioned to Triple-A shortly after returning to build up his stamina and prepare for the regular season. Nobody could have predicted what would happen next, per MLB.
The 2026 Season So Far
Arrighetti was called up April 17 after Cody Bolton was placed on the IL and he has been nothing short of outstanding ever since. Here is a look at where he stands: 7-1, 1.34 ERA, fewer than 30 hits allowed, per MLB. He has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his seven starts and has been one of the only constants in a rotation that has been decimated by injuries.
What Makes Him So Good
His ability to limit hits is elite, and he has shown improved command compared to previous seasons. He uses six different pitches: a four-seam, sinker, cutter, changeup, split, and slider, and finds a way to get through tough spots even when he is not at his best.
The Bigger Picture
The Astros would not be where they are right now without Arrighetti. He has been the anchor of a staff that lost Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Josh Hader, and Lance McCullers to injuries. If Arrighetti keeps pitching like this, the Astros have a real chance at a postseason push. His emergence has been one of the best stories in baseball this season, and the 26-year-old is just getting started. The question is no longer whether he belongs in the majors. It is whether he belongs in the Cy Young conversation.
