Astros Rotation for Rangers Series Set with Tatsuta Imai, Spencer Arrighetti

The Houston Astros are trying to sort through things in their rotation as they prepare to face the Texas Rangers again.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have set their starting pitcher for Monday's game and Thursday's game with the Texas Rangers. Beyond that it's a mystery.

Tatsuya Imai will start for the Astros against the Rangers when they face each other on Monday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Spencer Arrighetti will pitch in the finale on Thursday.

Imai is coming off a start against Minnesota in which he gave up five hits and three earned runs in 4.2 innings. He struck out five, walked none and took the loss. Monday will be his third start since he returned from the injured list with right arm fatigue in April.

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

Arrighetti started on Friday against the Chicago Cubs and would on pitch on normal rest. He is 6-1 with a 1.32 ERA this season and has the ninth-lowest ERA in club history after his first seven starts of the season.  

The Astros got a day off on Thursday before they headed to Chicago to face the Cubs in a three-game series that ends on Sunday. The Astros don't get a day off until June 1. That means Houston is playing 10 games in 10 days and as they prepare to face their Silver Boot rivals, Astros management is likely contemplating what the rest of the rotation will look like with the Milwaukee Brewers coming to town on Friday.

Injuries have been a factor all season for Houston. Hunter Brown is beginning a rehab stint on Sunday at Double-A Corpus Christi and won’t be ready until sometime in June. In addition, Lance McCullers Jr. went on the injured list earlier this week with right shoulder inflammation and won't be available until at least June.

But, if one wants to look back at this week and see how the Astros deployed their rotation without McCullers, one could deduce how the rest of the rotation will shake out against the Rangers.

After Imai, Jason Alexander would be the starter for Tuesday's game. He started last Tuesday against the Minnesota Twins, and he would be pitching on an extra day’s rest. He re-joined the team to pitch in McCullers’ spot in the rotation. He claimed his first win of the season as he gave up four hits and no runs in six innings. He struck out four and walked one.

Wednesday’s starter would most likely be Mike Burrows. The right-hander started last Wednesday against Minnesota and like Alexander would have an extra day’s rest. He took the loss in that game against Minnesota as he allowed six hits and four earned runs in six innings. He has lost his last two starts.