It didn’t take long for the Astros’ efforts to build pitching depth this offseason to be derailed by a familiar problem: injuries.
The Houston Astros spent the offseason beefing up their pitching depth after a 2025 season ravaged by injuries. Less than a month into the 2026 campaign, that depth is already facing its first major challenge.
The Astros brought in several right-handed options to bolster the rotation, including Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows, Kai-Wei Teng, and Ryan Weiss. These additions were meant to provide insurance against injuries and heavy workloads, giving Houston some breathing room on the mound.
While these pitchers were solid additions, most have limited major league experience, and having to take on a heavy workload this early in the season is a struggle.
With two spots already needed to be filled in the planned six-man rotation, the recent injuries to Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier mean Houston may now need three, not an ideal situation for this young pitching staff.
The Astros’ pitching depth is being put to the test right out of the gate. How these younger arms perform under pressure will be key to Houston's success on the mound and the early season outlook.
Luckily, Imai, Weiss, Burrows, and Teng have some serious talent. Tatsuya Imai had a rocky first major league start, but in his second start, he had a standout performance, showing his ability to shake off the nerves quickly and take command on the mound.
If these younger arms rise to the occasion, Houston’s rotation could survive this early storm but the pressure is on.