The injury bug bites again. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.
The Houston Astros have already dealt with their fair share of injuries in 2025, particularly among their starting pitching staff.
Spencer Arrighetti is currently sidelined with a fractured thumb, and Hayden Wesneski is out for the season, needing Tommy John surgery.
The Astros were hoping to receive good news when they asked for a second opinion on Ronel Blanco's elbow injury.
RHP Ronel Blanco will undergo right elbow surgery next week, which will sideline him for the remainder of the 2025 season.
— Julia Morales (@JuliaMorales) May 28, 2025
Unfortunately for Blanco, it appears that the second opinion confirmed a similar diagnosis to the first one.
The Astros have revealed that Blanco will be out for the season, requiring Tommy John surgery. Add Blanco to the list with Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, and Wesneski, who are working their way back from season-ending elbow surgery.
JP France is also trying to recover from shoulder surgery that he had last season. Tough luck for Houston, having three-fifths of the starting rotation unavailable before getting out of May.
At least Arrighetti is expected to return, possibly in July. And GM Dana Brown told the Astros flagship on Wednesday that the club hopes to get Garcia back in July or August. Brown also gave an update on Yordan Alvarez. They're basically waiting on Yordan to let them know when he's ready.
Arms race
For the time being, it appears the team will roll with Ryan Gusto, Colton Gordon, and whomever else they can call up from Sugar Land to fill the fourth and fifth starter roles.
Jose Altuve's 40th four-hit game included a pair of home runs and the Houston Astros rolled to an 11-1 win on Tuesday night that dealt the Athletics their 12th loss in 13 games.
Altuve singled on the first inning, homered leading off a three-run third and hit a two-run drive in the fourth, getting his 13th career multihomer game with his eighth home run this season. He singled the sixth ahead of Christian Walker’s homer.
Altuve, who matched his career high for hits, was pinch hit for in the eighth.
Jeremy Pena’s two-run home run capped a four-run second inning.
The A's have been outscored 100-41 during their skid, which they ended with a 5-4 win over Philadelphia on Sunday.
Hunter Brown (7-3) allowed one run and six hits in six innings, including Lawrence Butler's leadoff homer in the fourth.
JP Sears (4-5) gave up nine runs and 10 hits, both career highs, in 3 1/3 innings. He has allowed seven homers, 15 runs and 17 hits over 8 1/3 innings in his last two starts, raising his ERA to 5.18.
Before the game the A's made four roster moves, putting 22-year-old first baseman Nick Kurtz on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Sunday. They A's acquired left-hander Sean Newcomb from Boston for cash.
Key moment
When left fielder Tyler Soderstrom couldn't come up with a diving catch on a liner from Chas McCormick with two outs in the second, Yainer Diaz scored from first. Mauricio Dubón followed with an RBI double and Peña homered.
Key stat
Denzel Clarke and Drew Avens got their first major league hits for the A's.
Up next
A's RHP Luis Severino (1-4, 4.11 ERA) and Astros RHP Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 6.57 ERA) start Wednesday.
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