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The Houston Astros have added Lance McCullers to the rotation.
The Houston Astros‘ rotation will include Lance McCullers Jr. to begin the 2026 regular season, with Spencer Arrighetti getting sent to Triple-A.
The final rotation spot was coming down to McCullers, Arrighetti, and Ryan Weiss. Houston announced that Arrighetti had been optioned to Triple-A on Monday, March 24. Weiss made the club, but he’ll operate out of the bullpen. The right-hander is returning stateside after two years in Korea.
Astros season-opening rotation
Thurs: Hunter Brown Fri: Mike Burrows Sat: Cristian Javier Sun: Tatsuya Imai Mon: Lance McCullers Jr.
Unsurprisingly, Hunter Brown will get the ball on Opening Day against the Los Angeles Angels. The ace was a lock to be on the mound for the first game of the year. Mike Burrows will be up next. The Astros acquired the righty in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Cristian Javier will follow Burrows. Free agent acquisition Tatsuya Imai will make his big-league debut on Sunday, March 29. Houston landed the NPB star on a three-year, $54 million deal.
Houston Astros Rotation to Include Lance McCullers Jr., Not Spencer Arrighetti
Arrighetti scuffled to a 6.75 ERA across eight innings in Spring Training. He racked up 12 strikeouts, but also issued six walks. The righty dealt with multiple injuries last season. Arrighetti went down with a broken thumb in early April. He came back in August, but only lasted a month. Arrighetti’s season ended in September due to shoulder inflammation.
The Astros took Arrighetti in the sixth round of the 2021 draft. He zoomed through the minor leagues and was one of Houston’s top prospects heading into 2024. FanGraphs ranked him at No. 7 in the system. MLB Pipeline had Arrighetti at No. 3, behind only Jacob Melton and Luis Baez. The righty struggled mightily to begin his big-league career, carrying an ERA over 6.00 into June. He closed the season on a high note, though. Arrighetti delivered a 2.70 ERA over his final four appearances, building hype heading into 2025.
McCullers scuffled with the big-league club last season. He stumbled to a 6.51 ERA over 16 appearances, 13 of which came as a starter. The veteran had three separate stints on the injured list. McCullers missed time with a foot sprain, a blister, and hand soreness. Despite the stop-and-start nature of his season, this was the healthiest campaign in several years for the righty. McCullers had not appeared in the big leagues since 2022. The fact that he managed 55.1 innings was a win, even if those frames were underwhelming.
How Long Will Arrighetti Be in the Minors?
Arrighetti might not have to wait too long for his return to the majors. Manager Joe Espada told reporters, including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, that the team will transition to a six-man rotation in mid-April. The schedule beginning on April 10 will include 13 consecutive games without an off-day.
Houston’s pitching staff has been battered by injuries. Ronel Blanco, Brandon Walter, and Hayden Wesneski all underwent Tommy John surgery. Closer Josh Hader will open the year on the injured list with biceps inflammation. Reliever Nate Pearson is currently sidelined with elbow discomfort. Lefty Bennett Sousa is working through a strained oblique. The six-man rotation could help keep the available arms healthy for the long haul.
Charlie Wright is a longtime sports journalist with more than a decade of experience covering college and professional sports. He covers MLB and NBA for Heavy.com. More about Charlie Wright
