WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Much of the conversation around the Houston Astros this spring has focused on the corner outfield competition, injury concerns, and roster construction questions. Meanwhile, the pitching staff has been quietly delivering one of the strongest performances in all of spring training.
Houston enters the final week of camp with a 3.22 team ERA, the third-best mark in Major League Baseball, trailing only the Washington Nationals and New York Mets. For a club that lost Framber Valdez in the offseason and has faced skepticism heading into 2026, that number carries weight.
The story begins with the rotation’s emerging core.
Hunter Brown, Tatsuya Imai, and Mike Burrows have combined for 27⅓ scoreless innings this spring. Brown has struck out 14 batters across 8⅔ innings. Imai has sharpened with each outing, touching 98.5 mph after adjusting his position on the rubber and finishing with nine perfect innings across three starts. Burrows, acquired from Pittsburgh in a December trade, has thrown 12⅔ scoreless innings while continuing to develop a slider that has become increasingly effective against left-handed hitters.
Any one of those stretches would stand out in camp. All three occurring simultaneously has helped stabilize the Astros’ rotation picture.
Cristian Javier delivered one of the most encouraging outings of the spring on Sunday, throwing four scoreless innings with five strikeouts after returning from a brief personal absence. If Javier can regain even part of the rising fastball that made his “invisiball” so dominant during the Astros’ 2022 championship run, Houston’s rotation becomes considerably deeper.
The depth behind the rotation has been equally encouraging.
Ryan Weiss has posted a 0.93 ERA across 9⅓ innings. Non-roster right-hander Peter Lambert carries a 1.00 ERA in nine innings after arriving on a minor league deal. Christian Roa owns a 1.29 ERA in seven innings, while Roddery Muñoz has struck out 13 batters in seven frames.
AJ Blubaugh has also impressed, posting a 1.59 ERA while generating strikeouts at a remarkable rate.
None of it guarantees success once the regular season begins. Spring training statistics often fade once the games begin to count in April.
Still, the Astros’ pitching staff has been one of the most consistent units in baseball this spring, a development that could significantly reshape expectations heading into the 2026 season.
Questions about the offense remain.
The pitching, at least for now, looks like a strength.
