Brown strikes out 7 in final tune-up before rejoining Astros' rotation

ANAHEIM -- Astros ace Hunter Brown made his fourth and final Minor League rehab start in Triple-A Sugar Land’s 2-1 loss to Sacramento on Wednesday, allowing one earned run and striking out seven batters in five innings pitched at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.

Brown, who went on the injured list after two starts with a right shoulder strain, allowed three hits and two walks while throwing 78 pitches (49 strikes). He touched 98.6 mph and had 11 whiffs against Sacramento. Brown is expected to be reinstated from the injured list next week and start against the Tigers in Houston.

When he returns to the Astros’ rotation, Brown could be pitted against former teammate Framber Valdez, who started for the Tigers on Wednesday and allowed four runs in five innings against the Twins.

Brown made his first Opening Day start on March 26 against the Angels and threw 102 pitches in 4 2/3 scoreless innings. He threw six innings of one-run ball in his second start on March 31 against the Red Sox, but was pulled after only 78 pitches. Astros manager Joe Espada said he wanted to dial back Brown’s pitch count after his heavy Opening Day workload.

The Astros can’t get Brown back soon enough. He’s coming off the best season of his four-year career, which earned him a third-place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2025. He assumed the role of Houston’s ace, going 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA and a career-low WHIP of 1.03 in 31 starts. He struck out a career-high 206 batters in 185 1/3 innings and allowed only 133 hits, becoming a constant in a rotation rocked by injuries.

Brown had the longest scoreless-innings streak in the Major Leagues last year at 28 innings from April 3-28 -- the fifth-longest single-season streak by a starter in Astros history. He was named the AL Pitcher of the Month last June after posting a 1.19 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP in 30 1/3 innings, with the Astros winning all five of his starts during the month.