Astros Fans Anxious as Hunter Brown Struggles with Control on Opening Day

The young ace was pulled early despite a strong performance, raising concerns about his recurring command issues.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 11:05am

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A fragmented, multi-angled painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in muted earth tones and blues with hints of red and yellow, capturing the inefficiency and lack of control in the pitcher's mechanics.A cubist interpretation of Astros pitcher Hunter Brown's command struggles, deconstructing his delivery into a fractured, geometric study.Boston Today

Houston Astros fans watched with concern as their young ace, Hunter Brown, struggled with his control in the team's Opening Day loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Brown walked four batters and was pulled before completing the fifth inning, despite striking out nine and allowing just four hits. This command problem plagued Brown last season, and Astros fans are hoping it doesn't continue to haunt him in 2026.

Why it matters

Hunter Brown is a key part of the Astros' rotation and the team's hopes for another successful season. If he can't improve his control and efficiency, it could put a strain on the bullpen and limit the number of quality starts he can provide.

The details

In his 2026 Opening Day start, Brown walked four batters and was pulled after 102 pitches, despite striking out nine Angels hitters. This command issue was a problem for Brown in 2025 as well, when he walked three or more batters 10 times. While his stuff is electric, the high pitch counts and free passes are a concern, as he was unable to work deep into the game.

  • On Opening Day, March 28, 2026, Brown walked four batters and was pulled before completing the fifth inning.
  • In 2025, Brown walked three or more batters 10 times over the course of the season.

The players

Hunter Brown

The Houston Astros' young ace pitcher who struggled with his control on Opening Day 2026.

Mike Trout

The three-time MVP who hit a home run off of Astros reliever AJ Blubaugh in the Opening Day game.

Joe Espada

The manager of the Houston Astros who had to pull Brown early due to his high pitch count.

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What’s next

Brown's next start is scheduled for next week against the Boston Red Sox, where he will look to improve his control and efficiency.

The takeaway

The Astros and their fans are hoping that Hunter Brown can get a handle on his command issues, which plagued him last season and resurfaced on Opening Day 2026. If he can't improve his control and work deeper into games, it could put a strain on the bullpen and limit the team's success.