{"id":124022,"date":"2026-06-19T10:19:34","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T14:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=124022"},"modified":"2026-06-19T10:19:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T14:19:34","slug":"hunter-brown-start-astros","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/06\/19\/hunter-brown-start-astros\/","title":{"rendered":"Astros\u2019 Hunter Brown Returns to Rotation in First Post-Injury Start"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Diesel is finally back. The Houston Astros\u2019 ace pitcher has now returned. It was a highly anticipated first start back from injury for <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/b\/brownhu01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hunter Brown<\/a>, who stepped right back into his spot at the top of the rotation.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The pitching for the Astros has been the biggest issue, and Brown was activated back onto the major league roster on June 16 in a huge boost to the staff.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Hunter Brown is Back for the Astros<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOBiP9FOak4\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 4753px; aspect-ratio: 4753\/3327;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p>This was the first time that Brown got injured and had a stint on the injured list. The 27-year-old has been reliable in terms of availability, but even he could not avoid the Astros\u2019 2026 injury bug.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Brown returned to the Daikin Park mound for the first time since March 31 and faced off against his favorite childhood team, the Detroit Tigers, in what basically was an early must-win game for the Astros. The flame-throwing righty picked up where he left off and delivered. There were a lot of eyes on how Brown would perform after four rehab outings, and Astros fans had to like what they saw.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>A Closer Look at Hunter Brown\u2019s Outing<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOB9L1GoL6O\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 8256px; aspect-ratio: 8256\/5504;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p>Brown went 5.2 innings and gave up just one earned run along with just three hits. He struck out seven but also walked three. He ended up with a no-decision as the Astros were down 1-0 by the end of five innings. When Brown came out of the game almost through the sixth inning, the Astros were tied at 1-1.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Hunter Brown (HOU) made his return from the IL against the Tigers.<\/p>\n<p>He struck out seven and walked three across 5.2 innings <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/wr0EXHayfV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/wr0EXHayfV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Pitcher List Stats (@PitcherListPLV) <a  href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/PitcherListPLV\/status\/2067085249482252705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">June 17, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The 2025 <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/08\/15\/astros-hunter-brown-emerging-new-ace\/\" target=\"_self\">third-place AL Cy Young finisher<\/a> threw 92 pitches, 53 for strikes. This was a great return to the big leagues for Brown. As he usually does, Brown relied on the four-seam fastball and topped out at 97.5 mph. He went toe-to-toe with <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/v\/valdefr01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Framber Valdez<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/02\/12\/framber-valdezs-best-moments-with-the-astros\/\" target=\"_self\">former Astros ace<\/a> who is now on the Tigers. Valdez threw six innings and gave up one run in his first start in Houston since signing with Detroit.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Hunter Brown\u2019s Pitches<\/h2>\n<p>The good sign is that Brown was working with all his pitches, as he threw five different types and had good movement. Even the RBI single by the Tigers did involve a bit of luck, as shortstop <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/p\/penaje02.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jeremy Pe\u00f1a<\/a> couldn\u2019t come up with a high bounce on a hit by <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/l\/leeha02.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hao-Yu Lee<\/a> in the second inning with two outs. Brown left the mound to a standing ovation in the bottom of the fifth after a two-out walk.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><a  href=\"https:\/\/baseballsavant.mlb.com\/player-scroll\/game?gamePk=824182&amp;player_id=686613\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Only four of his pitches<\/a> were hit hard into fair territory.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI worked really hard to get back, and here we are,\u201d Brown said. \u201cShoot, I\u2019ve put in however many days in here in this park, and then you get to come out and compete again. It was awesome&#8230; I tried to empty the tank, and I did,\u201d Brown said, according to <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/astros\/news\/raynel-delgado-gets-game-winning-hit-in-second-career-start\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>More on Hunter Brown\u2019s Rehab<\/h2>\n<p class=\"\" style=\"max-width: px\"><smartframe-embed class=\"smartframe_wp_element\" customer-id=\"b0c95bc04383cef69c6b47df872135cf\" image-id=\"WmOBUJeYISLy\" style=\"width: 100%; display: inline-flex; max-width: 3555px; aspect-ratio: 3555\/2371;\" ><\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<p>His last start on March 31 against the Boston Red Sox was his best outing, where he went six innings and gave up one run on 78 pitches. After that, Brown was placed on the IL with a<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/04\/10\/hunter-brown-shoulder-injury-what-it-means-for-astros\/\" target=\"_self\"> Grade 2 right shoulder strain,<\/a> which involved the tear of a muscle. He missed about the expected time of two and a half months.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>All four of his rehab outings were successful with a combined 1.88 ERA and just four earned runs given up in 14.1 innings along with 21 strikeouts and just three walks. Brown\u2019s AVG against was .157, and his WHIP was 0.77. Three starts were at the Triple-A level in Sugar Land.<\/p>\n<h2>Hunter Brown Helps Winning<\/h2>\n<p>The Astros eventually won his first game back 4-2, thanks to a three-run eighth inning to come back and win after going down 2-1 in the top of the inning. With the bases loaded and one out, new Astros acquisition <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/d\/delgara02.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Raynel Delgado<\/a> singled up the middle, driving in <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/d\/diazya02.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Yainer Diaz<\/a> and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/s\/smithca07.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cam Smith<\/a> for the go-ahead runs. Pe\u00f1a got the fourth run in after he grounded into a force out, but he made it to first base in time for <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/l\/loperjo01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joey Loperfido<\/a> to score.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Brown\u2019s start is what propelled the Astros to an eventual much-needed series win over the Tigers.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Main Image Credit:<\/strong> Troy Taormina-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Diesel is finally back. The Houston Astros\u2019 ace pitcher has now returned. It was a highly anticipated first start back from injury for Hunter Brown, who stepped right back into his spot at the top of the rotation.\u00a0 The pitching for the Astros has been the biggest issue, and Brown was activated back onto [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5612,"featured_media":124030,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"1","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,14,1071],"tags":[28631,2359,28780,246,5519,5332,5945],"class_list":["post-124022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-astros","category-mlb","tag-cam-smith","tag-framber-valdez","tag-hao-yu-lee","tag-houston-astros","tag-hunter-brown","tag-jeremy-pena","tag-yainer-diaz"],"modified_by":"Matthew Nethercott, Site Editor","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5612"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124022"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":124031,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124022\/revisions\/124031"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124030"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}