Houston Astros star pitcher Hunter Brown will miss at least two weeks after the team placed him on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a right shoulder strain.
The team made the roster move retroactive to Thursday, meaning Brown could return sooner than expected.
The 27-year-old right-hander had been off to a dominant start this season, posting a perfect 1-0 record with an impressive 0.84 ERA across two outings. In just over 10 innings of work, Brown had already racked up 17 strikeouts.
Brown’s most recent appearance came Tuesday in a victory over the Boston Red Sox, where he delivered six strong innings. He allowed just one run on one hit while walking two batters and striking out eight.
The Astros have not provided a timeline for Brown’s return. The team announced his placement on the injured list before manager Joe Espada’s pre-game media session ahead of Sunday’s road matchup with the Athletics.
Last season marked a breakout year for Brown, who earned his first All-Star selection while compiling a 12-9 record with a 2.43 ERA over 31 starts. He set a personal best with 206 strikeouts and maintained an excellent 1.03 WHIP. His stellar performance earned him third place in American League Cy Young Award voting.
Since making his major league debut in 2022, Brown has compiled a 37-31 record with a 3.44 ERA across 102 appearances, including 94 starts.
To fill Brown’s roster spot, Houston called up right-handed pitcher Christian Roa from Triple-A Sugar Land. The 27-year-old Roa appeared in two relief outings for the Astros earlier this season, posting a 6.75 ERA. He has pitched one scoreless inning for Sugar Land this year.
