Houston Astros Hunt For the Next Hunter Brown
With injuries piling up and young pitchers hard to come by, Hunter Brown is looking more like a gold mine every day.
The Houston Astros are currently dealing with a plethora of player injuries, most notably to the starting rotation.
Luis Garcia was the latest setback when he exited Monday’s game against the San Francisco Giants just eight pitches into his start.
Garcia’s injury comes on the heels of Jose Urquidy leaving Sunday’s start against the Philadelphia Phillies with shoulder discomfort.
After undergoing an MRI, Urquidy was placed on the 15-day IL on Monday, May 1, and Brandon Bielak was called up from Triple-A Sugar Land as his likely replacement for the time being.
Manager Dusty Baker wasn’t planning on using Bielak right away, but those plans changed when Garcia was taken out of the game on Monday night.
Bielak was remarkable in his spot relief appearance on Monday (four innings), garnering a 4.50 ERA, six strikeouts and a 1.25 WHIP.
If he can replicate those numbers consistently, Bielak should be a decent replacement in the starting rotation for the time being.
Garcia was due to have an MRI on Tuesday, May 2, and based on the latest updates it appears as though he’ll be heading to the 15-day IL as well.
With Garcia landing on IL, the Astros called up left-handed reliever Matt Gage from Triple-A late Tuesday prior to the team's game against the Giants.
Until Garcia’s recovery, it looks like the Astros will have to fill yet another spot in the starting rotation as Lance McCullers Jr. isn’t expected to be back with the team until June.
Prior to joining the Astros on Tuesday, Gage had a 5.00 ERA over eight games (9.0 innings pitched) with 12 strikeouts and a 1.89 WHIP with the Space Cowboys this season.
With Gage being called up, he's a quality southpaw to add to a Houston pitching staff with very minimal lefties.
And maybe Gage just needs another shot -- possibly even as a starter -- in the Majors and he’ll do great.
Gage made his MLB debut on June 6, 2022, so his time as a Pro baseball player is fairly limited.
But once again, Baker had to dip into his bullpen early on Tuesday when Brown left the game after 4.1 innings -- handing the ball off to Gage in a clutch moment.
And Gage delivered, at least on Tuesday night, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits with one strikeout.
Gage’s lifetime Major League stats are spectacular, with the lefty lodging an 0-1 record over 12 games (14.2 innings) with a 1.23 ERA, 13 strikeouts and a 0.95 WHIP.
At this time, the only two remaining starting pitchers on Houston’s 40-man roster in Sugar Land are J.P. France and Forrest Whitley.
So far this season for the Triple-A Space Cowboys, France is 2-1 over five games (three starts) with a 2.33 ERA, 26 strikeouts and a 1.03 WHIP.
Whitley, meanwhile, is 1-2 over five games (three starts) with a 6.00 ERA, 22 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP.
Prior to being called up to the Astros on Monday, Bielak was 0-1 over five games (three starts) in Sugar Land with a 4.12 ERA, 19 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP.
If Gage or Bielak begin to struggle as starters or coming out of the pen, Houston at least has some options in the pitching department.
Will any of these young pitchers be able to do what Brown has done so far since joining the Astros as a full-time starter?
That’s a high bar to reach, as Brown is currently 3-1 over six games (34.2 innings pitched) with a 2.60 ERA, 36 strikeouts and a 1.18 WHIP -- with the young budding star picking up his first loss of the season on Tuesday night in a 2-0 setback to the Giants
Does Houston have another Brown-caliber pitcher waiting in the wings?
Could Gage be that guy?
Only time will tell.
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