An already thin Houston Astros stable of starters gets even slimmer following a bizarre incident that resulted in Spencer Arrighetti breaking his thumb.
Per an official press release by the Astros, Arrighetti broke the thumb on his throwing (right) hand. Houston's talented young hurler was struck by a line drive while playing catch in left field at T-Mobile Park, home of the Seattle Mariners. The team statement failed to express a recovery timetable, but it's safe to assume he won't be available for his next scheduled start.
Arrighetti reportedly happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time while the Mariners were taking batting practice. Unfortunately, he'll now be out for what projects to be a prolonged absence, which is a brutal blow for the Astros. Houston has a problem, with minor leaguers A.J. Blubaugh and Colton Gordon figuring to get the first crack at addressing the issue.
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How the Astros rotation looks after Spencer Arrighetti injury
Rank | Player |
|---|---|
1 | Framber Valdez, LHP |
2 | Hunter Brown, RHP |
3 | Hayden Wesneski, RHP |
4 | Ronel Blanco, RHP |
5 | Colton Gordon, LHP |
While Arrighetti is a right-handed pitcher, the Astros can benefit from diversifying their rotation by adding a southpaw. With that in mind, Gordon could get called up from Triple-A Sugar Land, though Blubaugh is also an option.
Gordon fared well with the Space Cowboys last season, going 8-2 with a 3.94 ERA, 124 strikeouts and a 1.224 WHIP across 25 games. He's rode into the 2025 campaign, allowing only one run and five hits across two starts. Houston added the 26-year-old to the 40-man roster in November but has yet to deploy him in the majors.
Blubaugh also thrived at Sugar Land. He went 12-4 with a 3.83 ERA, 1.348 WHIP and 128 punch-outs across 124.2 innings of work in 2024. His production has carried over into this year, boasting a 1-1 record, 2.00 ERA and a 1.333 WHIP in two appearances.
Losing Arrighetti undeniably stings for Houston. But from a glass-half-full perspective, the Stros will have a chance to evaluate one of their top pitching prospects, whether it's Gordon or Blubaugh.