Hunter Brown is making his final rehab start this week before returning to the Astros' rotation. His return is expected during the Tigers series starting June 15. For a team that has been fighting through injuries all season, this is huge news.
The 27-year-old was drafted by the Astros in the fifth round in 2019 out of Wayne State. In 2025, he was an AL Cy Young Award finalist and All-Star. Here is a look at his 2025 stats, per MLB:
2025 stats: 12-9, 2.43 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 206 strikeouts in 185 innings
He was named the Opening Day starter for 2026, the first of his career. He has been one of the best pitchers in the American League over the last two seasons.
Hunter Brown was placed on the IL on April 5 with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain. Before the injury, he posted a 0.84 ERA in his first two starts of the season. It was the first IL stint of his career.
He started his rehab assignment May 24 at Double-A Corpus Christi. Here is a look at how each start went:
Rehab Start 1: May 24, Double-A Corpus Christi: 2 scoreless innings, 1 hit, 5 strikeouts, 0 walks, 35 pitches, touched 96 MPH
Rehab Start 2: May 30, Triple-A Sugar Land: 3 innings, 1 run, 1 hit, 5 strikeouts, touched 97.6 MPH
Rehab Start 3: June 5, Triple-A Sugar Land: 4.1 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 4 strikeouts, 57 pitches, touched 98.9 MPH
Combined: 1.93 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 14:1 K:BB in 9.1 innings. Brown is scheduled to make one final rehab start before returning.
The rotation has been held together by Arrighetti, Teng, Lambert, and Burrows. Brown coming back gives them a true ace at the top. Combined with Arrighetti, this could be one of the better one-two punches in the AL. The Astros are moving to a six-man rotation, which gives everyone more rest. Lambert's recent hand injury makes Brown's return even more timely.
The Astros are 31-39 and need to start climbing, and fast. With Hader closing, Altuve back, and now Brown returning, this team is starting to look whole.
Brown's return is the final piece of a long injury recovery for this rotation. If he comes back pitching like he was before the injury, the Astros pitching staff should be in good shape.
