Astros' Hunter Brown on 15-day IL with shoulder strain
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- Hunter Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a shoulder strain, with the move retroactive to Thursday.
- Joe Espada told reporters Brown felt discomfort during a Friday throwing program, and a return timeline won't be set until further tests are completed.
- Christian Roa was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land in the corresponding roster move to help fill the rotation gap.
- Brown's 2024 breakout produced a 2.43 ERA across 31 starts, a team-best 6.1 WAR, and a third-place finish in AL Cy Young voting, making him the unquestioned ace after Framber Valdez departed in free agency.
- Brown, 27, had a 0.84 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 10⅔ innings over his first two starts of 2025 before the injury, last pitching Tuesday with eight strikeouts in six innings against the Red Sox.
Why it matters: The Astros, who missed the playoffs in 2024 for the first time since 2016, built their 2025 rotation around Brown after Valdez's free-agent exit — and now lose him indefinitely before test results even determine a return date. Houston's depth is being tested early by the injury to a pitcher who looked like a Cy Young frontrunner through two starts.
