HOUSTON -- After putting right-handed starting pitcher Ronel Blanco on the 15-day injured list Thursday, the Astros now have three-fifths of their Opening Day starting rotation on the IL, while three other starting pitchers continue to rehab from significant arm injuries.
Blanco was placed on the IL prior to the series opener against the Mariners at Daikin Park and is seeking a second opinion on his injury, manager Joe Espada said. Blanco informed the club of his sore elbow Monday in Tampa and flew to Houston on Tuesday for further exams.
"Once he gets that second opinion and we have more clarity on the injury, we will report something back,” Espada said.
The Astros’ rotation depth is being tested with six starters on the shelf. Left-hander Colton Gordon, who started Monday’s game in Tampa and was optioned to Triple-A, was recalled from Sugar Land and is likely to start Sunday’s series finale against the Mariners.
“We have to work through this and fight through this,” Espada said. “This is a team that’s shown resiliency for many, many years, and we are prepared to put ourselves in a position that we can continue to move forward. Any time this happens, it creates opportunity for others, and that’s our challenge.”
Blanco has made nine starts this season and has a 4.10 ERA over 48 1/3 innings. In his most recent outing, Blanco took the loss against the Rangers on Saturday after giving up three earned runs over six innings in a 5-1 defeat. He threw 92 pitches and appeared to be healthy.
A day later, it was announced that Hayden Wesneski was set to undergo Tommy John surgery. Spencer Arrighetti will be out until July after breaking his right thumb on April 7 when he was hit by a ball during batting practice. He remains without a timetable for a return. Blanco, Wesneski and Arrighetti were in Houston’s Opening Day rotation with Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez, who remain a formidable 1-2 combination.
Lance McCullers Jr. made his fourth start of the season Thursday against Seattle after missing 2 1/2 seasons following surgery to repair his right flexor tendon and remove a bone spur. Meanwhile, Luis Garcia had TJ surgery in 2023 and has had some setbacks, including one this spring. Cristian Javier underwent Tommy John surgery last June and is rehabbing, and J.P. France underwent surgery last July 1 to repair a torn right shoulder capsule.
Sunday will mark the end of a stretch of 17 consecutive games for Houston without a day off, during which the Astros had planned to go to a six-man rotation. They’ve used seven starting pitchers in the past 10 games and 10 starting pitchers through their first 50 games.