Nate Pearson has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring, and the reason is worth monitoring closely.
The Astros have slowed Pearson’s throwing program due to elbow soreness, according to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Pearson underwent a cleanup procedure on his elbow this offseason and had been progressing through bullpen sessions before the setback. Manager Joe Espada confirmed the situation this week.
The timing is less than ideal. Houston signed the 29-year-old right-hander in October to compete for a rotation spot, and the Astros entered spring training with one of the more unsettled pitching pictures in the American League. With camp moving toward its final stretch, Pearson still has not faced live game action.
The roster math adds another layer of complexity. Pearson is out of minor league options, meaning the Astros cannot simply send him to Triple-A to continue building up. If he is not ready for Opening Day, Houston would likely need to place him on the 15-day injured list or risk exposing him to waivers.
Pearson arrived in Houston with intriguing upside. The former first-round pick of the Blue Jays stands 6-foot-6 and averaged 97.6 mph with his fastball last season. He posted a 2.22 ERA across 44⅔ innings at Triple-A Iowa before receiving a late-season call-up with the Cubs.
His major league results were far rougher—a 9.20 ERA in 11 relief appearances—but the Astros signed him believing his power arsenal could still translate into a starting role for the first time since his brief debut season in 2020.
For now, that experiment is paused. How quickly Pearson can ramp back up will be one of the more important developments to watch as Houston finalizes its pitching staff ahead of Opening Day.