Astros Evaluate Rotation Options as Opening Day Nears

Houston weighs five- or six-man rotation as several pitchers vie for spots

Mar. 14, 2026 at 10:37pm

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With less than two weeks until opening day, the Houston Astros are still determining whether to start the season with a five- or six-man rotation. Several pitchers, including Lance McCullers Jr., Ryan Weiss, Kai-Wei Teng, Spencer Arrighetti, and Peter Lambert, are competing for spots in the rotation or bullpen as the team looks to balance protecting both the rotation and the bullpen, especially with closer Josh Hader out for the first 15 days.

Why it matters

The Astros' decision on the rotation size will have implications for roster flexibility and bullpen management, especially early in the season when the team plays 26 games in the first 28 days. Protecting both the rotation and the bullpen is a key priority as the Astros look to defend their World Series title.

The details

The Astros are considering several factors in deciding between a five- or six-man rotation, including protecting the bullpen, roster flexibility, and easing the transition for offseason acquisition Tatsuya Imai, who is used to pitching with extra rest in Japan. Pitchers like McCullers, Weiss, Teng, Arrighetti, and Lambert are all vying for spots, with McCullers potentially having an inside track due to his experience and contract status. The team is also building up several pitchers to at least long relief stamina this spring.

  • The Astros play 26 games in the season's first 28 days.
  • The team has two off days in the first 13 games of that opening stretch, which may allow for some early flexibility.
  • The Astros' final roster decisions, including the rotation and bullpen spots, will need to be made in the final weeks of spring training.

The players

Joe Espada

The manager of the Houston Astros.

Lance McCullers Jr.

An Astros pitcher who is a leading candidate for a rotation spot, having made mechanical adjustments and seen an uptick in velocity this spring.

Ryan Weiss

An Astros pitcher who has impressed this spring, earning a Grapefruit League start and showing improved command of his pitches.

Kai-Wei Teng

An Astros pitcher who is a candidate for a swingman role, with the ability to create swing-and-miss but needing to improve his efficiency.

Spencer Arrighetti

An Astros pitcher who has more major-league starting experience than some of the other rotation candidates, but will be away from camp for the birth of his child.

Peter Lambert

A non-roster invitee to Astros camp who has impressed the team's officials this spring despite underwhelming MLB and NPB numbers in the past.

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What they’re saying

“There is a presence about him now where he's starting to take it into a different gear, reaching back, getting some fastballs by people, executing the slider. He's got good stuff and the command is coming to where he can throw his pitches anytime in the count. That's exactly the guy that we saw and really liked and he's showing up at the right time.”

— Joe Espada, Astros Manager (Houston Chronicle)

“They continue to get outs and make pitches when you have to. They don't get rattled. They're throwing the ball really well. This is going to be fun here the last couple of weeks with all those guys.”

— Joe Espada, Astros Manager (Houston Chronicle)

What’s next

The Astros will make their final roster decisions, including the rotation and bullpen spots, in the final weeks of spring training. The team's next step will be to determine whether to start the season with a five- or six-man rotation, a decision that will have implications for roster flexibility and bullpen management.

The takeaway

The Astros' decision on the rotation size is a key part of their preparations for the upcoming season as they look to defend their World Series title. The competition for the final rotation and bullpen spots has been fierce, with several pitchers making strong cases for inclusion on the opening day roster.