To say the Houston Astros starting rotation has been devastated by injuries would be an understatement. Houston is currently without Christian Javier, J.P France, Hayden Wesneski, Spencer Arrighetti, and Luis Garcia. Just this past week, Houston received even more bad news after it was announced that Ronel Blanco will miss the remainder of the season with an elbow injury.
With so many players on the IL, the Astros have been forced to turn to numerous rookie arms. Ryan Gusto and Colton Gordon have given manager Joe Espada some quality innings, while AJ Blubaugh doesn't quite seem up to the task.
Another rookie hurler, however, could be the answer. Miguel Ullola, who received a long look during spring training, has been finding his footing of late at Triple-A Sugar Land. During the month of May, Ullola was 3-0 in five starts for the Space Cowboys with a 1.17 ERA and 34 punch outs in 23 innings pitched.
Top prospect Miguel Ullola could be the Astros answer to their injury-plagued starting rotation
The top of the Astros' starting rotation is among the best in the American League. Only the Texas Rangers (Tyler Mahle, Nathan Eovaldi, and Jacob deGrom) and Detroit Tigers (Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson) can boast a better top of the rotation than the Astros' 1-2 punch of Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown.
But with Blanco now on the IL, Houston's going to need some reinforcements. Arrighetti is making some progress, but one has imagine he'll need at least a handful of rehab starts before returning to the big league mound.
Gordon went to the hill on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays, and Brown is headed to the bump for Sunday's series finale. Obviously Valdez and Lance McCullers Jr. will get the ball for two of the three games during the Pittsburgh Pirates this week, but will Espada go back to Gusto after his performance this past week against the Rays?
The right-hander was done after 3 ⅔ innings, which put tremendous strain on Houston's relief corps. Rather than run Gusto back out there this week, Houston could call up Ullola for his MLB debut.
Ullola last went to the mound on May 28, meaning his next start in the minors should be on Tuesday June 3. Houston has yet to name a single starter for this week's series against Pittsburgh, so don't be surprised if Astros GM Dana Brown surprisingly gives the right-hander his first career major league start this week.