Astros Pitching Crisis Deepens as Cody Bolton Exits Game Early

Let’s be honest, this is a crisis. The situation with the Houston Astros isn’t just a downturn of luck anymore. They are running out of options on the mound, and the arms they have are going to be worn out from overuse.

Just a single day after Tatsuya Imai was sent back to Houston with reported right arm fatigue, right-hander Cody Bolton has left the game against the Seattle Mariners. He was accompanied off the field with a trainer, indicating a possible injury.

Rotation Under Constant Pressure

Houston’s starting pitching in 2026 hasn’t just been inconsistent, it’s truly been unavailable. As reported by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, the pitching staff is struggling. Over their last 10 games, the starters have completed five innings just three times.

Astros starting pitcher lengths in each game in April:

5.0
3.2
5.2
4.0
4.1
5.1
1.0
0.1
4.1
1.0

Astros have two quality starts in 16 games, and those came in back-to-back games March 31-April 1
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) April 12, 2026

The bullpen is more than just stretched, they are tired. As a whole, the Astros rank at the bottom of MLB pitching staffs in terms of team ERA. They have posted a disheartening 6.56 ERA over 16 games.

Injuries Piling Up Fast

Houston’s injured list is approaching the levels it saw in 2025; the worst part of it is the number of pitchers. While it hasn’t been made official, but if we add Imai and Bolton to this list, it teeters on ridiculous.

Bennett Sousa — 15-day IL (left oblique strain)
Cristian Javier — 15-day IL (Grade 2 right shoulder strain)
Hunter Brown — 15-day IL (Grade 2 right shoulder strain)
Nate Pearson — 15-day IL (right elbow surgery recovery)
Josh Hader — 15-day IL (left bicep tendinitis)
Ronel Blanco — 60-day IL (Tommy John recovery)
Hayden Wesneski — 60-day IL (Tommy John recovery)
Brandon Walter — out for season (Tommy John surgery)

These are just the pitchers, not even the entire list. What’s worse is that three of their original starting rotation have left this road trip.

The Stats Are Telling the Story

It truly is a sad story coming out of Houston. It’s not like they didn’t try to add depth and be ready to attack the 2026 season. The injuries are just unbelievable as they were in 2025.

As already stated, the pitching staff ranks the worst in MLB for ERA. They have also given up the most runs at 99 where the next closest team is the Washington Nationals at 88. The Astros have allowed 23 home runs which ranks as the second-worst.

The Mariners and Houston are in the basement of the AL West and after the series is over it is very probable that the Astros will hold down the bottom spot all on their own.

It may be time to pull the trigger on acquiring some more talent. At this point, what could it hurt?

Now we wait to see what the official word will be on both Imai and Bolton but if recent history tells the story, Houston has a problem.