The Justin Verlander injury has created a spot in the Houston Astros rotation.
The 39-year-old ace will be out for at least a couple of weeks with a right calf injury.
To replace his production, the team will deploy Cristian Javier (who was demoted to the bullpen upon the return of Lance McCullers Jr.) in the rotation again.
In addition to that, Houston is calling up a top pitching prospect to help eat innings, too.
According to what Astros general manager James Click said on Tuesday, pitching prospect Hunter Brown will be officially called up when rosters expand on Thursday.
Click said top prospect Hunter Brown will be activated Sept. 1.
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 30, 2022
An injury to a 39-year-old pitcher is opening up an opportunity to a player 15 years his junior.
Of course, if Brown ends up having half of Verlander’s career, they will be thrilled.
The Astros Will Welcome Brown To Their Rotation
Brown will be a starter upon arriving in The Show.
He is a top 100 prospect by just about every publication in the industry, and is talented enough to challenge the rest of the Astros starters for a spot on the postseason roster.
If everybody is healthy, it’s hard to envision him doing that, but he will get a nice chance to impress for one of MLB’s premier franchises.
Brown has an excellent 2.55 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 134/45 K/BB ratio in 106 innings (23 appearances, 14 starts) this year for the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land.
He is a fifth-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, and has quickly ascended through the ranks in the minor leagues.
Brown has a deadly fastball-curveball combo and looks like a good bet to fight for a rotation spot next year.
But an opportunity presented itself this year, starting on Thursday, and it will be up to him to take advantage.
NEXT: Justin Verlander Comments On His Calf Injury