Tatsuya Imai Returns to Astros With $18 Million Rebound at Stake
Tatsuya Imai chose to remain with the Astros rather than test free agency after a difficult first major-league season, keeping his guaranteed $18 million salary for 2027 and another chance to earn a place in Houston’s rotation. The right-hander will earn…
AJ Blubaugh Gets the Ball for Astros in Wild Card Game 1
AJ Blubaugh spent the entire regular season coming out of the bullpen. His first start of 2026 will come in the postseason. The Astros will start Blubaugh in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday at…
Astros Finally Rested Their Bullpen. They May Need All of It Tuesday
For much of September, the Astros treated their bullpen like there might not be a tomorrow. Now there is one—and the bullpen may have to carry a large part of it. Houston opens the Wild Card Series against the Chicago White Sox at Daikin Park on Tuesday…
Astros’ Rotation Has Turned a Corner. Can It Go the Distance?
For most of the season, the Astros would have happily accepted the problem they have now. After months of injuries, inconsistency, and a revolving door of starting pitchers, Houston’s rotation has suddenly become one of the biggest reasons the team is…
Astros Still Searching for the Right Version of Tatsuya Imai
The Astros signed Tatsuya Imai last winter expecting him to become an important part of their pitching staff. With September underway and Houston fighting for the AL West title, they are still trying to figure out how he can help. The latest experiment…
Go Safe or Go Home: How Teams Are Pitching Around Yordan Alvarez
There are worse problems to have than a hitter opposing pitchers are increasingly unwilling to face. Every intentional walk to Yordan Alvarez gives the Houston Astros a free baserunner and another opportunity to score. But the walks are also telling the…
Astros Move Tatsuya Imai to Bullpen Ahead of Rangers Series
The Houston Astros will move Tatsuya Imai to the bullpen, at least for this weekend’s series against the Texas Rangers, manager Joe Espada said before Friday’s opener. The decision follows Imai’s latest short outing, a start Monday at…
Spencer Arrighetti Lands on Injured List
The Houston Astros placed starter Spencer Arrighetti on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right foot nerve irritation, a day after he exited his start against the White Sox before the second inning. Houston recalled left-hander Bryan King from…
Failed Offseason Leaves Astros Shopping for Pitching Again
Nate Pearson’s designation for assignment Sunday did more than end another brief Astros tenure. It underscored why Houston enters the trade deadline still searching for pitching despite spending the offseason trying to solve that very problem. Of…
Astros Send Mike Burrows to Triple-A, Face Rotation Decision Before Break
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…
