What Astros Rotation Plans for Red Sox Tells Us About Future Plans

The Houston Astros would love nothing more than a series split with the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday. But they're already looking ahead to the next series with the Boston Red Sox.

The Astros remain at Daikin Park for a three-game set with Boston that begins on Monday. Houston has no off days to start the first week of the season. Contrast that with a team like the San Francisco Giants, which opened the season on a Wednesday and will have already had two off days before Houston throws its first pitch against Boston on Monday. Several other teams have had at least one off day.

But Houston knew that going into the season, hence the talk of the six-man rotation during spring training. Looking at the probables for the series, it tells us a couple of things about the near future.

Astros-Red Sox Probables and The Future

Per MLB.com, the Astros and Red Sox will star the following probables for their three-game series which starts on Monday.

Monday: Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. vs. Red Sox LHP Ranger Suárez

Tuesday: Astros RHP Hunter Brown vs. Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello

Wednesday: Astros RHP Mike Burrows vs. Red Sox RHP Garrett Crochet

The first thing it tells us is that the Astros are sticking to the plan they set after they broke camp in West Palm Beach, Fla., last week. Manager Joe Espada said the Astros would stick with a five-man rotation for at least the first two turns and they're doing that.

McCullers will make his first start of the season on Monday, followed by Brown, who will make his second and will pitch on normal rest. The same goes for Burrows, who takes the finale.

That’s when things start to get interesting and that’s the second thing it tells us, though there’s some projection involved. After Wednesday’s game Houston gets a day off. That means that Cristian Javier, who pitched on Saturday, can throw on Friday against the Athletics in Sacramento with an extra day of rest. It means the same for Tatsuya Imai, who started for Houston on Sunday. In fact, all five pitchers will get an extra day after the off day.

Houston will have three of the next four Thursdays off, along with an off day on a Monday, April 27. Because of that, the Astros don’t need a sixth starter until April 8 at the earliest. Houston could even wait until April 10 and pitch Javier on normal rest on April 8.

But the reason Houston wants that extra starter is because of what happens after April 9. Houston has 13 games in 13 days. By implementing a six-man rotation in that spot, only one starter will have to throw three times on normal rest. That’s the luxury of the starting pitching depth the Astros have right now. Houston has options it didn’t a year ago and has a plan to use them.