Houston and San Diego Are Getting Wrecked By the Injury Bug, and Their Rotations Are Paying the Price
The Astros and Padres are learning a harsh early-season lesson right now: you can't win games when your pitchers keep landing on the shelf. Both teams are dealing with significant rotation injuries that are forcing them to get creative on the mound, and fantasy managers need to pay attention because this situation is reshaping their pitching plans.
Houston's Rotation Is Falling Apart
The Astros are in a world of hurt in the injury department. Hunter Brown, Tatsuya Imai, Cristian Javier, and Cody Bolton are all currently on the 15-day IL, which is a gutting loss for any rotation. To fill the gap, Houston is turning to Ryan Weiss to take the ball against the Colorado Rockies. Weiss just spent the last few seasons pitching in Korea, so he's making the jump back to MLB action. Here's the thing: so far this season, Weiss has only appeared in long relief situations, logging 62 and 64 pitches in his last two outings. That's not exactly the profile of a guy you want anchoring a start, but when you're this desperate, you use what you've got.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiSan Diego's Pitching Depth Is Crumbling
The Padres won their seventh straight game last night with another comeback victory, but the celebration was short-lived. Nick Pivetta was diagnosed with a strained right flexor tendon, and he's likely looking at missing time until after the All-Star break. That's a massive blow. On top of that, Joe Musgrove still hasn't been cleared for bullpen sessions and can only play catch right now. The silver lining? Matt Waldron is expected to come off the 15-day IL and rejoin the rotation sometime this weekend, which gives San Diego at least one helping hand heading forward.
What This Means Moving Forward
If you're managing a fantasy team, these injuries are reshaping your options at pitcher. The Astros and Padres are both scrambling to keep their rotations intact, and that means unconventional choices are coming to the mound. Keep your eyes on who's getting called up and what role they're stepping into because depth is being tested hard right now.
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