The Astros' rotation has been decimated by injuries all season, but one pitcher has been the constant and that would be Spencer Arrighetti.
He was nearly traded last summer and started this season in Triple-A, but is now one of the best pitchers in baseball.
The Near Trade
The Astros nearly traded him for two months of Dylan Cease last summer, but Dana Brown reportedly said no because he genuinely believed in Arrighetti more than a rental. The Astros would not be where they are this season without Arrighetti. Right now that looks like one of the best decisions of Brown's tenure.
The 2026 Performance
7-1, 1.34 ERA, historically dominant. He is the only pitcher since 1913 to enter June with 7+ wins, a sub-1.50 ERA, and fewer than 30 hits allowed, per OptaSTATS. He has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his starts. His low-90s fastball paired with an outstanding curve keeps hitters off balance. Old school pitching sequencing at its best, per MLB.
The Astros went 15-14 in May after going 8-18 in April, a bounce back they desperately needed, but there is still plenty of work to be done. They finished a 7-3 road trip and are within striking distance of the AL West lead. Arrighetti has been the anchor that kept the rotation from completely falling apart, and has been part of some historic wins like snapping a 13-year losing streak at Wrigley Field.
Arrighetti's next start comes Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he will face Paul Skenes, one of the most talented young pitchers in baseball. It is exactly the kind of marquee matchup that proves Arrighetti belongs in the conversation with the best pitchers in the game right now.
When the Astros needed someone to step up, Arrighetti answered. The question is no longer whether he belongs in the majors. It is whether he belongs in the Cy Young conversation. He is just getting started and it will be exciting to see what this talented 26-year-old's future holds.
