Spencer Arrighetti is back with the Astros, and the 26-year-old right-hander was expected to get the ball against the Rockies either Wednesday or Thursday. Houston recalled Arrighetti on Wednesday after he dominated across three Triple-A starts, moving him into a rotation that has been stretched thin by injuries.
The move comes after the Astros placed Tatsuya Imai on the injured list Monday with arm fatigue and put Cody Bolton on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with right mid-back inflammation. J.P. France was recalled Monday to add length to the pitching staff and threw two scoreless innings in relief against the Mariners, while Colton Gordon started Tuesday and allowed four earned runs over 3 2/3 innings against Colorado.
Arrighetti did not break camp with Houston, but he is already on the 40-man roster and has given the club a reason to turn to him again. Across three Triple-A appearances, he allowed two earned runs, struck out hitters at a 36.4% clip over 14 minor-league innings and finished with a quality start against Tacoma, when he struck out seven over six innings and reached 82 pitches.
Houston needs the help. The Astros are missing Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier and Imai from the rotation, and their starters have combined for a 6.60 ERA. They have also allowed five more runs than the next-closest team, the Nationals, a gap that has left little room for another soft landing while the club waits for arms to come back.
Arrighetti’s return has been delayed by a thumb injury that cost him nearly four months of the 2025 season after he was hit on the right hand during batting practice. He came back for five starts in August, then posted a 5.26 ERA with a 23:15 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 25 innings before elbow inflammation ended his season in early September. Even with that uneven finish, his swing-and-miss stuff has stood out: he struck out 12 in eight spring training innings and posted a 27.1% strikeout rate in his first look at major league hitters.
That profile is what makes Houston’s decision understandable. Arrighetti appeared in 29 games for the Astros in 2024 and threw a career-high 145 innings, finishing with a 4.53 ERA, a 4.01 xFIP and a sub-4.00 SIERA. The Astros did not open the season with him, but after three strong Triple-A starts and another round of rotation injuries, they need him now, not later.
