Hunter Brown's injury puts Houston Astros' rebuilt pitching depth to immediate test
The arms the Astros accumulated over the offseason face an immediate test, as Hunter Brown's absence will test Houston's pitching mettle.
Cody Bolton, who's made one relief appearance for the Astros, will start Monday in Denver in place of ace Hunter Brown, whose injury will now test Houston's pitching depth. (Tim Warner/Getty Images) WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - After a scarring 2025 season, the Houston Astros spent a winter stockpiling pitching depth.
On Sunday, the first significant test for it arose. Ace Hunter Brown landing on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain Sunday morning put the Astros in position to alter their rotation plans on short notice. A grueling 10-inning loss to the A's , then, taxed their bullpen and could prompt further reinforcements ahead of Monday's series opener at Coors Field.
"We used a lot of resources to get through that game," manager Joe Espada acknowledged after the 12-10 walk-off defeat. Brown was slated to start Monday's series opener against the Rockies. Cody Bolton will start that game instead, said Espada, who did not share further pitching plans.
Bolton, who was called up from Triple-A on the Astros' opening homestand and made one relief outing, is likely not stretched out to a full starter's workload. He threw 50 pitches in a three-inning save against Boston last Tuesday , his first outing of the season. He did make two starts at Triple-A Sugar Land toward the end of last season, the longest lasting 4 ⅔ innings.
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