Astros Didn’t See This Dominant Jason Alexander Performance Coming

Perhaps not all is lost as it pertains to the Houston Astros' starting rotation. Or maybe it was all a mirage.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Jason Alexander. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

Perhaps the Houston Astros’ pitching staff has some hope after all.

Through 30 games, the Astros are 20-30, with the majority of those losses due to inept pitching, particularly in the rotation. Whether it be Tatsuya Imai having a disastrous first month and a half in the big leagues or Mike Burrows’ continued disappointment, just nothing has clicked on the mound.

Well, until Tuesday night, that is.

Thrust into a spot start because of Lance McCullers Jr.’s sudden addition to the injured list, Jason Alexander delivered exactly what the Astros needed: a quality start. Some baseball teams get those every single day. The Astros don’t, so it’s extra special when they do somehow catch lightning in a bottle.

A job well done. 👏#ChaseTheFight pic.twitter.com/2s83yxpYVa

— Houston Astros (@astros) May 20, 2026

Over the course of six spectacular innings, Alexander — who entered the game with an inflated 14.21 ERA — held the Minnesota Twins off the scoreboard while allowing just four hits. He also struck out four and walked just one. Alexander was able to accomplish all that with just 80 pitches, 50 of which landed for strikes.

It was the type of performance that can get a fan wondering, “Is this what we’re going to get out of him in the future?”

Alexander Steps Up in a Big Moment

Houston Astros pitcher Jason Alexander. | Erik Williams-Imagn Images

If the answer to that question is yes, then that’s excellent news for the Astros. With McCullers Jr. out of the picture for an unspecified amount of time, it was reasonable to believe that the starting rotation was going to be in even more shambles than it already was. In fact, it wasn’t irrational to think that McCullers Jr.’s injury was just cause to tear it all down and start over.

Alexander put that to bed, at least for the time being. Plugging him into the rotation might not be such a bad thing if he can pitch as he did against the Twins on May 19. The Astros have needed performances like the one he put up, and if he can do it on a consistent basis, that’s excellent news.

The obvious caveat is that there’s every possibility in the world that Alexander’s effort was just a one-off. That magic might have already run out. The clock might’ve already struck midnight. In many ways, that’s an even worse scenario than him just stinking it up because the Astros got a taste of excellence but have to give it up immediately because it was all just a mirage in the first place.

Either way, Alexander’s six shutout innings will — at least for the next four or five days — be an encouragement to Astros fans far and wide. Maybe not all is lost. Perhaps this season, which has been an abject failure up to this point, won’t be so bad after all. It’s cliché, but only time will tell.