Astros Lose Star Pitcher Hunter Brown to Shoulder Strain

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The Houston Astros announced on Sunday that they have placed star right-handed pitcher Hunter Brown on the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder strain. Brown, who was likely to be a top Cy Young candidate this season, had a 0.84 ERA and 17 strikeouts through his first two starts. The Astros will now be without their top starter and top reliever, Josh Hader, as they try to maintain their early lead in the division.

Why it matters

The Astros' success this season was heavily dependent on the continued dominance of Hunter Brown, who emerged as one of the best young pitchers in baseball last year. His injury is a major blow to the team's playoff aspirations, as they will now have to rely more heavily on their bullpen and secondary starters to pick up the slack.

The details

The Astros announced that Brown will be placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to April 2nd due to a right shoulder strain. To take his place on the active roster, the team has recalled right-hander Christian Roa from Triple-A Sugar Land. Roa has a 6.75 ERA in 1.1 innings pitched for the Astros this season.

• On April 2nd, Hunter Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain.
• Brown was scheduled to make his third start of the season on April 6th against the Colorado Rockies.

What’s next

The Astros will have to rely on their secondary starters and bullpen to fill the void left by Hunter Brown's injury. The team will monitor Brown's recovery and hope to have him back on the mound as soon as possible.