Astros to Open Season with 5 Man Rotation
Astros manager Joe Espada made the declaration before today’s spring training game vs. the Mets. Today, Houston Astros manager Joe Espada declared the team would open the season with a 5-man rotation, a reversal from earlier statements about using a 6-man rotation this season.
While the Astros can still employ a 6-man rotation at various […]
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 19: Joe Espada #19 of the Houston Astros smiles during spring training workouts at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on February 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images Astros manager Joe Espada made the declaration before today’s spring training game vs. the Mets.
Today, Houston Astros manager Joe Espada declared the team would open the season with a 5-man rotation, a reversal from earlier statements about using a 6-man rotation this season. Astros manager Joe Espada said the club will open the season with a five-man rotation. — Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 21, 2026 While the Astros can still employ a 6-man rotation at various points this season, it does perhaps signal a lean towards more traditional relievers on the team to start the season, before swapping arms and moving to a 6-man rotation later on.
The Astros signed Tatsuya Imai from Japan this offseason, and he is used to only pitching once per week on the NPB schedule. It is one of the biggest reasons the Astros will likely use a 6-man rotation this season, to keep things as close to “normal” for Imai in his first season in MLB. Most likely projection for the Astros initial 5-man rotation would be Hunter Brown, Mike Burrows, Tatsuya Imai, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr.