Inside the Astros

Former MLB Executive Has High Praise for Astros' Deep Starting Rotation

The Houston Astros are the class of MLB in identifying pitching talent, and their 2025 starting rotation once again stands as one of the league's best.

Kyle Morton

Aug 18, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts after a double play to retire the side against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park.
Aug 18, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez (59) reacts after a double play to retire the side against the Chicago White Sox during the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park. / Erik Williams-Imagn Images
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There is arguably not a franchise in MLB better than the Houston Astros at the entire process of scouting, developing and maximizing pitching talent.

Other teams may have claims, but the Astros' decade-long track record of having a stacked rotation through developed prospects and under-the-radar free agency finds has them in a class of their own.

It's why even after an offseason that saw the lineup depleted by the departures of Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs and Alex Bregman to the Boston Red Sox, Houston still boasts a rotation strong enough to vault the team into the playoff picture.

Writing in The Athletic (subscription required), former MLB front office executive Jim Bowden ranked all 30 starting rotations just ahead of Opening Day.

With several impressive units in the league, Bowden gave Houston the No. 10 spot, a fair ranking, but certainly one that the team could outperform.

"Valdez is on a mission in his free-agent walk year," Bowden wrote. "The lefty has one of the best sinkers in the game and always delivers a high ground-ball rate. Brown profiles as a future ace and should be ready to take another step... Arrighetti made my breakout team for 2025 after a solid rookie season in which he logged a 3.18 ERA over his final 12 appearances. I love Blanco’s toughness and deceptive changeup."

To start the regular season, the unit will be made up of Valdez, Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski.

That group alone is good enough to justify the top-10 placement, but it's likely not the same five that will finish the season.

Reinforcements are on the way, most notably in the form of postseason heroes Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr.

Luis Garcia was also set to return from his own injury at some point, but a recent setback has called that into question. McCullers, meanwhile, continues his rehab on Sunday at Triple-A Sugar Land.

While the Seattle Mariners may have the best trio of starters in the AL West, the Astros' top three may not be far behind, especially if Arrighetti takes the leap many are projecting.

Blanco has proven that he can be dominant for stretches, and with the way the other pieces in the return Houston got for Tucker are looking, would anybody be surprised if Wesneski finds a new gear with the Astros?

There are no holes in this rotation, and Javier and McCullers Jr. could elevate it to a whole new level if they return in solid form.

Bowden's ranking is a fair one for now, but do not be surprised if Houston's rotation is a clear top five unit when all is said and done.

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Kyle Morton
KYLE MORTON

Kyle Morton has covered various sports from amateur to professional level athletics. A graduate of Fordham University, Kyle specializes in MLB and NHL coverage while having previous bylines with SB Nation, The Hockey Writers, HighSchoolOT, and Sports World News. He spent time working the beat for the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes and is an avid fan of the NHL, MLB, NFL and college basketball. Enjoys the outdoors and hiking in his free time away from sports.

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