The Houston Astros have been playing without their ace for more than two months.
That is about to change.
Hunter Brown threw five innings and 78 pitches Wednesday night in what is expected to be his final rehab start at Triple-A Sugar Land, striking out seven, allowing one earned run, and touching 98.6 mph. After the game, manager Joe Espada confirmed Brown is expected to make his next start in the majors during next week’s series against the Detroit Tigers at Daikin Park.
Brown has been out since April 5 with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain, but his brief return before landing on the injured list offered a reminder of what Houston has been missing. Across his final two starts before the injury, Brown struck out 17 and allowed just one run. He finished third in American League Cy Young voting last season.
To their credit, the Astros have stayed afloat without him.
Spencer Arrighetti has turned in one of the best stretches by a starter in baseball, carrying a 2.21 ERA through 10 starts, while Kai-Wei Teng stabilized the middle of the rotation despite two difficult outings against the Angels. Peter Lambert has provided steady innings, Tatsuya Imai has shown encouraging progress after a rough adjustment period, and even with inconsistency elsewhere, Houston has managed to avoid a complete collapse.
But Brown changes the ceiling.
His expected return comes at a favorable time. The Astros return home next week for three games against Detroit before hosting Kansas City, giving Houston an opportunity to build momentum during a softer portion of the schedule.
There is also a familiar face involved.
Justin Verlander, who won two World Series titles with the Astros and is one of the most decorated pitchers in franchise history, signed a one-year deal with the Tigers this offseason. He has been on the injured list since early April with left hip inflammation and made his first rehab start June 3 at Triple-A Toledo. Whether he returns in time for the Houston series remains unclear, but the possibility of a Verlander-Astros reunion—from the opposite dugout—no longer feels far off.
A healthy Brown does not solve every issue. The bullpen has been stretched, the offense has been inconsistent, and injuries have piled up across the roster. But adding an ace back into a rotation that suddenly has real depth again is the kind of boost the Astros have been waiting for.
The Tigers series opens Monday at Daikin Park.
Heading to Daikin Park soon? Check the Astros promotions schedule before your next game.