Brown Beginning to Make Lasting Impression On Astros

When the Houston Astros announced that Hunter Brown would make the Opening Day rotation it came on the heels of news that Lance McCullers Jr. had been injured. 

Brown had been slated to begin his season in the bullpen and act as a sixth starter or long relief type guy. Instead, he got his chance to prove he is an MLB starter.

His first start was shaky, a 4.2 inning appearance in which he gave up four earned runs to the Detroit Tigers. 

Then, something clicked. 

Brown made his next start against a talented Minnesota Twins lineup, threw 7.0 innings and didn't allow a single earned run. 

But it was his third start of the 2023 MLB season that has left an impression on the Astros and its fans. 

On Saturday night he faced off against the Texas Rangers, a team that has totally revamped its roster over the last two offseasons and looks like a contender again. 

Despite one inning where he ran into traffic, the third, Brown looked excellent in his seven inning start against the American League West rival. He gave two runs, both unearned, and struck out five with 99 pitches thrown. 

He looked like a pitcher who belongs near the top of a rotation, not the fifth guy.

“He’s pitching with a lot of determination, a lot of fire and making pitches when he had to,” Baker said. “We had that one inning where we didn't play too well on defense. The first thing he says when he comes in is, ‘Hey, we got a lot of game left.’ That’s a very mature statement. He’s pitching great. The key in that game is that 3-2 curveball. It takes a lot of confidence and nerve to throw that to a real good hitter.”

Following Saturday's start against Texas, Brown lowered his season ERA to 1.93 and his WHIP is a stellar 1.018. The rookie is making a case to remain the rotation even when McCullers Jr. returns, especially given the struggles that Luis Garcia has faced to start the season. 

Brown is just another example of the Astros being able to utilize their farm system to help mitigate the loss of expensive star players. Justin Verlander leaves via free agency to the New York Mets and in slides Hunter Brown.

While Brown will not produce like Verlander in the short-term, there is a reason the latter has drawn like comparisons. 

Perhaps Houston has found its next star.