What's Happening?
Spencer Arrighetti, a right-handed pitcher for the Houston Astros, is likely to miss the remainder of the 2025 regular season due to right elbow inflammation. The injury was confirmed by Astros manager Joe Espada, who stated that Arrighetti has been placed on the 15-day injured list following discomfort experienced during a bullpen session. Arrighetti's season has been marred by injuries, including a fractured thumb in April that sidelined him for four months. Since his return in August, he has made five starts, achieving a 5.26 ERA over 25⅔ innings. His final start against the Los Angeles Angels was notably strong, with eight strikeouts over 6⅓ innings. The Astros are awaiting MRI results to further assess the severity of his elbow condition.
Why It's Important?
Arrighetti's injury adds to the Astros' pitching woes, as the team has already seen several starters, including Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco, undergo Tommy John surgery this year. The Astros have had to rely on a six-man rotation to manage workloads, especially for pitchers like Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia, who are returning from their own surgeries. The loss of Arrighetti further strains the team's rotation, which has seen 14 different players start games this season, the most since 2019. This situation could impact the Astros' performance in the final weeks of the regular season, as they may need to rely on bullpen options or promote additional relievers to fill the gap.
What's Next?
In response to Arrighetti's absence, the Astros have promoted reliever Jayden Murray to the major-league roster. Manager Espada has indicated that the team might use bullpen options like AJ Blubaugh or Lance McCullers Jr. as spot starters. The Astros are likely to continue adapting their rotation strategy to maximize rest for key pitchers like Javier and Garcia. The team will also be monitoring the results of Arrighetti's MRI to determine the next steps in his recovery process.
