Houston Astros Starting Pitching Depth Gets Hit Again By Injury

The Houston Astros have been hampered by injuries throughout the 2023 season and now the injury bug is biting prospects in the farm system.

Regina Ham | Jun 3, 2023

Houston Astros Starting Pitching Depth Gets Hit Again By Injury /

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Injuries have lingered around the Houston Astros organization since 2023 Opening Day. They're down multiple starting pitchers but manager Dusty Baker has made do thus far.

Right-handers Hunter Brown, Brandon Bielak, and J.P. France are in the rotation due to the injuries of Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, and Lance McCullers Jr.

The Astros moved to a six-man rotation. Houston added right-hander Ronel Blanco to the active roster this week.

He made his first MLB start on Friday night, keeping the Los Angeles Angels to two runs and seven hits in 5.1 innings and collecting his first career victory.

But the reason Blanco was called up was because the injury bug made its way into the farm system.

In a statement from the organization, Forrest Whitley—a 2016 first-round pick who was once the top prospect in the Astros' system—is expected to miss three to four months with a right lat strain.

That timetable puts his 2023 campaign in limbo.

Whitley (1-2, 5.70 ERA, 1.33 WHIP) made eight appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land prior to his injury. Whitley’s 23.7 percent strikeout rate was solid but he walked nearly 13 percent of opposing hitters

Houston will have to weigh whether it’s worth keeping Whitley on the 40-man this offseason.

Double-A standouts outfielder Drew Gilbert and second baseman Will Wagner- who rank No. 1 and No. 12 respectively on MLB Pipeline's list of Astros prospects, both are still dealing with injury issues.

Gilbert, the team's first-round pick from last season, is currently limited to DH'ing and is working with the medical staff as he deals with left elbow discomfort. At Double-A Corpus Christi, he's slashing .246/.373/.333 with one home run and eight RBI.

Astros general manager Dana Brown is bullish on Gilbert and if his health can improve, it's not out of the question he could see a MLB stadium in 2023.

Wagner, the son of legendary Astros closer Billy Wagner, is expected to miss six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery to remove the right hook of hamate bone in his right hand. Prior to the surgery, he was slashing .270/.353./432 with two homers and 11 RBI.

He was shut down earlier this week at Double-A Corpus Christi due to what was originally described as right wrist discomfort. More testing showed the need for a surgical procedure on his hamate bone.

The 24-year-old infielder could be in recovery mode for almost two months.

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Published Jun 3, 2023

REGINA HAM

Regina Ham is an editor and writer for Inside the Astros. As an alumna of the University of Maryland-College Park, she studied both broadcast and multimedia journalism. A six-year veteran of the sports industry, she's worked in radio, television, and online media. You can follow her on Twitter @regina_ham or Instagram @reginamariesports. Upon her undergraduate education, Regina went to work in 2016 for Sirius XM-Satellite Radio on College Sports Nation/ESPNU for two years. During her time in school, Regina interned at a variety of Washington, D.C.-area media organizations, including NBC Sports Washington and WTOP. There she assisted in coverage of local MLB and NHL teams. She also interned down at WAAY 31 in Huntsville, AL and worked on stories regarding the local Minor League Baseball affiliate and SEC football. Regina worked in international sports television for almost four years, covering sports from MLS to the KHL and the KBO. She joined Philly Sports Network in 2022 and covers both the Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers before joining the Sports Illustrated network in 2023. You can follow her on Twitter @Regina_ham or on Instagram @reginamariesports. If you have any questions or comments, she can be reached at regina.ham28@gmail.com.