Houston’s rotation shortage is no closer to being resolved. The Astros optioned right-hander Mike Burrows to Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, and with one turn through the rotation still remaining before the All-Star break, the club now has to decide who takes it.
Burrows had been the only Opening Day rotation piece to stay on the active roster all year while Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, Tatsuya Imai, and Lance McCullers Jr. each cycled through the injured list. That durability was the case for keeping him in the mix even as results lagged: a 5.99 ERA, four quality starts across his 17 outings, and a 6-11 team record when he pitched.
The move follows Monday’s start in Washington, where Burrows was charged with seven earned runs in a loss to the Nationals. Right-hander Alimber Santa was recalled from Sugar Land to fill the active roster spot.
