As the calendar has turned to June, the Houston Astros (28-34) are currently third in the American League West and seven games behind the Seattle Mariners, who are in first place. As the Houston Astros continue to climb upward in the division, here are the latest news and notes.
Cristian Javier
The Houston Astros starting rotation took another hit on Tuesday when an article posted by The Athletic stated that RHP Cristian Javier was set to have Tommy John surgery. The Astros have confirmed this, so we expect to see Javier back in the rotation sometime next summer. Javier posted a 3.89 ERA across seven starts this season.
José Urquidy
Just minutes ago, news broke via the Houston Astros X account that RHP José Urquidy is now set to have Tommy John surgery. With Javier and now Urquidy both needing surgery, it begs the question as to what the Astros will do to add more depth to the starting rotation. As it currently sits, the Astros have Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, Ronel Blanco, Hunter Brown, and Spencer Arrighetti in the starting rotation. This will be the second Tommy John surgery for Urquidy, who last had the procedure done in 2017.
Nick Hernandez
On Tuesday, the Houston Astros acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Nick Hernandez from the San Diego Padres in exchange for cash considerations, according to Astros General Manager Dana Brown.
Hernandez has pitched his entire season at Triple-A El Paso in the Padres organization, posting a 1.90 ERA (5ER/23.2IP) in 17 appearances. He’s struck out 34 hitters in 23.2 innings while allowing a .224 opponent average in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Hernandez has pitched in parts of seven minor league seasons (2016-19, 2021-24), appearing at the Triple-A level in each of the last four years. Hernandez has a career 3.03 ERA (108ER/320.2IP) career in 228 minor league games. Hernandez also has Major League action, appearing in two games for the Padres in 2023 (4ER/3IP).
Hernandez was originally an Astros draft pick, selected out of the University of Houston in the 8th round of the 2016 draft. He spent six seasons in the Astros system (2016-22) before reaching minor league free agency following the 2022 season.
Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman
Both Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman are day-to-day after having sustained injuries during this home stand against the St. Louis Cardinals. On Monday, Tucker took a foul ball off his shin that knocked him to the ground for several minutes. Tucker tried to continue but was removed from the game as a precaution. X-rays came back negative, and when manager Joe Espada was asked about Tucker’s status, “There’s no fracture. The soreness just needs to go away.”
On Tuesday, Astros third baseman Alex Bregman was hit in the left hand in the first inning. Bregman would be able to stay in the game. “Smoked me pretty good,” Bregman said. “Right on the back of the hand, [93 mph] to the hand. It’s a little sore, but we’ll see how it feels tomorrow.”
Houston Astros Final Thoughts
The Astros are wrapping up a long stretch of games dating back to May 7th, with only one day off between games on May 23rd. The Astros are slowly starting to creep up the division standings. The biggest questions remain to be answered: Will the Astros be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline? When they return, will Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia be positive factors, whether out of the rotation or bullpen? Can Jose Abreu turn it around? We will soon discover if this Astros team can push toward another AL West Division crown.
Main Image Credit: HOUSTON, TX – OCTOBER 06: Houston Astros logo floor mat during batting practice prior to game two of the American Division League Series between the Houston Astros and the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park, Friday, October 6, 2017. (Photo by Juan DeLeon/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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