Astros Are Telling Us Plenty About Their Pitching Plans Without Saying It

All eyes are on the Houston Astros' pitching ranks as they look poised to embark upon a rather non-traditional six-man starting rotation. While it remains to be seen whether running out six starters will be the club's long-term plan, all of Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Mike Burrows, Ryan Weiss, Tatsuya Imai and Lance McCullers Jr. appear poised to break camp as part of the rotation.

In the aftermath of Framber Valdez's departure, the Astros are now surrounding Brown, their ace, with a slew of talented-but-asterisk-laden arms in hopes that some hurlers can breakout and make a name for themselves.

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Houston's pitching depth bears watching this spring. Even if some of the aforementioned names falter, the Astros have insulated themselves with plenty of options further down the pecking order. Holdovers Jason Alexander and Spencer Arrighetti are back to help bolster the pitching ranks, while former Toronto Blue Jays top prospect Nate Pearson is hoping that a change of scenery can get his career back on track.

With so much up in the air with regards to the Astros' pitching ranks between now and their home opener on March 26, team workouts and spring games will go a long way towards determining how things shake down by Opening Day. Here's what we seem to be learning so far.

Brown's Status is Not in Question

Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown poses for a photo during media day. — Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

With so many options and, yet, so few certainties on Houston's pitching staff, it's a nice bit of relief for manager Joe Espada to know that he has an ace he can count on. Although Brown's true breakthrough came just last season (12-9, 2.43 ERA, 206 strikeouts), the third-place finisher in 2025 AL Cy Young voting is being viewed as a lock in the No. 1 role.

Before the Astros had even played an inning of spring baseball, Brown was tabbed as the club's Opening Day starter. Espada and the coaching staff don't seem particularly concerned with getting him immediate reps on the mound, as the Astros handed the ball to prospect Colton Gordon for Saturday's Grapefruit League opener and are set to start Burrows on Sunday.

Brown is still only 27 years of age, but he stands as one of the few sure things on Houston's staff this spring. Save for talk of a contract extension, that is.

Imai Impressing in Camp

Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai ties his shoes during a Spring Training workout. — Houston Astros pitcher Tatsuya Imai | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Astros' biggest splash of the offseason came in the form of signing Imai out of Japan to a three-year, $54 million contract. Even though the 27-year-old enjoyed a sensational 2025 campaign with the Seibu Lions (10-5, 1.92 ERA), his signing represents a huge risk given the financial commitment to a pitcher who has no history in Major League Baseball.

While Imai still has a long way to go when it comes to making good on his contract, he's certainly making a strong first impression. Buzz surrounding the right-hander seems to be growing by the day, with All-Star hitters like Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa commenting on his arsenal after standing in the batter's box during a recent batting practice session.

Outfielder Taylor Trammell went so far as to laud Imai's splitter as being unlike anything he's seen before.

"Be honest with you," remarked Trammell. "I played this game for 24 years now and 11 professionally, and I’ve never seen a pitch like that before in my life."

Burrows Might Be the Key to the Rotation

Houston Astros pitcher Mike Burrows poses for a photo during media day. — Houston Astros pitcher Mike Burrows | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

If you look closely enough, you're likely to find at least some near-certainly within the pitching plans of Houston. Brown is now firmly established as the staff ace, and Imai and Javier will likely get early starting opportunities behind him, if for no other reason than their big contracts. The end-of-rotation roles will depend on health and performance, and will likely vary over the course of the season.

The wild card here could be Burrows. Newly acquired in an offseason trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates, the 26-year-old enjoyed some early success upon converting to a starter last season and will be looking to build on that with the Astros in 2026.

After going 2-4 with a 3.94 ERA in 19 starts for Pittsburgh a year ago, Burrows will get the opportunity to prove himself as a full-time starter in Houston. However, with many starting options at their disposal and a versatility borne out of his relief experience, he could also emerge as a bullpen weapon if other rotation hopefuls stand out. Either way, he looks to be a critical part of the organization's pitching puzzle.

There will be plenty to unpack amidst the Astros' crowded pitching corps in the coming weeks. However things might ultimately play out, expect Brown, Imai and Burrows to have a lot to do with the club's success or failure. After all, they're already making strong impressions.