It didn’t take long for the Astros’ efforts to build pitching depth this offseason to be derailed by a familiar problem: injuries.
Right-hander Cristian Javier exited Wednesday’s game with shoulder tightness, and center fielder Jake Meyers left mid-at-bat with back discomfort, adding to a growing list of early-season concerns.
Two more key players went down just one day after the pitching staff anchor Hunter Brown was shut down with a right shoulder strain.
After the 2025 season, defined by injuries, this growing list of injuries is not the position the Houston Astros hoped to find themselves in at all in 2026, let alone this early in the season.
Not only did the Astros lose all three games in the series against the Colorado Rockies, they are also leaving the Mile High City with an expanding injury list.
Right-hander Cristian Javier exited early with shoulder tightness, while Jake Meyers left mid-at-bat due to lower back discomfort, and Hunter Brown was diagnosed with a shoulder strain.
Houston was swept by Colorado in the series, marking the first time the team had been swept by the Rockies in a series of three or more games since 2012.
The heavy bullpen usage throughout the game added further strain on a pitching staff already dealing with key absences.
Javier first felt shoulder tightness during the first inning and left the game early. Reportedly, there’s no pain, and early strength tests looked good, but it’s unclear when he’ll be back. Javier was strong in 2022–23 and helped the Astros win the 2022 World Series, but he missed most of 2024 with Tommy John surgery and struggled in 2025. 2026 was supposed to be a fresh start.
The Astros now face a grueling stretch, with 13 straight games coming up and a planned six-man rotation already in flux. With injuries piling up, the team may need to call up Spencer Arrighetti from Triple-A to help fill the gaps. Houston heads into its next series against the Mariners in Seattle with little time to recover, putting added pressure on an already thin pitching staff.
Houston's pitching depth is being put to the test early in the season, with a long stretch of games quickly approaching, and a growing injury list.
The team will need to rely on its younger arms and rotation flexibility to stay competitive. How Houston navigates these early setbacks could set the tone for the rest of the season.