Hunter Brown makes his return tonight against the Tigers at Daikin Park. An excited and anticipated return, but another interesting piece to the puzzle is who he is up against. Brown makes his return up against Framber Valdez. The Astros' old ace vs. the Astros' new ace.
Valdez spent eight seasons as an Astro before leaving in free agency this offseason. Tonight he comes back to Houston as a visitor. This is one of the most compelling pitching matchups of the season.
Hunter Brown's Return
Brown has been out since April 5 with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain. Here is a look at his three rehab starts and current 2026 stats, per MLB:
Rehab stats: 1.93 ERA, 0.64 WHIP, 14:1 K:BB, touching 98.9 MPH
2026 stats: 1-0, 0.84 ERA, 17 strikeouts
Brown was the Opening Day starter and finished third in AL Cy Young voting last season. The Astros have been waiting for this moment for a while.
Framber Valdez Returns to Houston
Valdez spent eight seasons with the Astros including the 2022 World Series championship. He left in free agency this offseason and signed with the Tigers. Here is a look at his 2026 stats, per MLB:
2026 stats: 3-5, 4.40 ERA, 61 strikeouts
He has struggled a bit with Detroit but is still a talented pitcher.
The Astros are 33-41 and need to bounce back after Monday's blowout loss. Brown's return gives the rotation a massive boost. The Tigers are 30-42 and this is a winnable series.
Two great pitchers, a sold-out crowd, and a ton of storylines. Tonight is going to be an exciting one. Hunter Brown is back and the second half of the Astros season starts tonight.
