The Houston Astros received discouraging news Tuesday on ace Hunter Brown, who has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain and will refrain from throwing for a few weeks.
Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday after feeling something in his shoulder during his routine throwing program. Medically speaking, a Grade 2 strain involves significant damage to muscle fibers more extensive than a mild pull but short of a complete rupture. In plain terms, it means a partial tear that causes noticeable loss of strength and range of motion, and it is one that cannot simply be pushed through. Treatment typically begins with rest and a throwing shutdown, followed by physical therapy to restore strength and range of motion before a gradual return to activity. The prescribed throwing shutdown makes it unlikely he will return when first eligible, with typical Grade 2 recovery timelines running anywhere from several weeks to a few months depending on the extent of the damage.
Brown had been outstanding in his two starts this season, going 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA before the injury. He was coming off the best season of his career in 2025, posting a 2.43 ERA with 206 strikeouts over 185⅓ innings and finishing third in AL Cy Young Award voting.
The Astros are already without closer Josh Hader, who remains on the injured list with left biceps tendinitis. With Brown now sidelined for an extended period, Houston will lean on Lance McCullers Jr., Tatsuya Imai, Mike Burrows, Cristian Javier, and Cody Bolton, while awaiting the expected callup of Spencer Arrighetti from Triple-A Sugar Land.
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