Astros' Disturbing Announcement Gives Team MLB Lead in Unwanted Category

Newsweek

26-07-2025

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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One of the great mysteries of this season has to be how the Houston Astros are doing what they are doing. After starting the year as a .500 team as late as May 12 when their record stood at 20-20, the Astros entered Friday's game at Daikin Park against the club formerly known as the Oakland Athletics with a five-game lead over the Seattle Mariners in the American League West.
At 60-43, the Astros went into Friday tied with the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for the fourth-best record in baseball.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Joe Espada #19 of the Houston Astros looks against the Toronto Blue Jays during a Grapefruit League spring training game at TD Ballpark on March 10, 2025 in Dunedin, Florida....
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA - MARCH 10: Joe Espada #19 of the Houston Astros looks against the Toronto Blue Jays during a Grapefruit League spring training game at TD Ballpark on March 10, 2025 in Dunedin, Florida. MoreWhat's so mysterious about a team playing well? In the Astros' case, the astonishing part is how they've been doing it despite being torn apart by injuries. And the Houston health situation only got worse on Friday when the Astros announced another addition to their injured list.
The Astros placed 28-year-old rookie southpaw starter Brandon Walter on the list, bringing the total number of Houston players on the IL to an MLB-leading 18.
Walter was in the midst of becoming one of the feel-good stories of the year. Drafted at the bottom of the 26th round by the Boston Red Sox in 2019, the 797th player taken overall — after undergoing Tommy John surgery in college at Delaware and missing the entire 2020 season due to the minor league shutdown caused by the COVID pandemic — the lefty vaulted up the rankings to become the Red Sox' No. 9 overall prospect by 2022.
The Red Sox called him up on June 22, 2023, but limited him to just 23 innings in nine games. Walter missed all of last season with a rotator cuff injury, but did not even get to finish the season on the Red Sox roster.
Boston abruptly designated him for assignment on July 31 and released him two days later.
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Less than two weeks after that, Walter signed a minor league deal with the Astros.
Finally healthy, at least as far as his shoulder was concerned, Walter got the call to the big league club on on May 20 and has proven a steady addition to the starting rotation for a Houston club with seven other pitchers on the injured list.
In nine starts, Walter has posted a solid 3.35 ERA with 52 strikeouts in 53 2/3 innings.
Walter told MLB.com Astros beat reporter Brian McTaggart that his problem this time is not his shoulder, but his elbow.
An MRI, however, showed only "inflammation," the pitcher told McTaggart, which Walter called "pretty encouraging," adding that he did not expect to be on the shelf for a lengthy period.
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