Astros get significant three-week update on injured ace Hunter Brown

Astros get significant three-week update on injured ace Hunter Brown originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Houston Astros were dealt some massively unfortunate news early this season, with Hunter Brown landing on the injured list after just two starts in 2026.

He is on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain and is going to miss a good amount of time. Brown likely will fall out of the Cy Young race and will leave Houston without their staff ace.

But, for how long will he be out? Well, according to reporter Will Kunkel, Brown's timeline involves at least three more weeks, and potentially a bit longer.

Astros' Hunter Brown gets 3-week update amid IL stint

"Update: There will not be a timeline put on Astros P Hunter Brown to return for at least 3 weeks, per source," Kunkel reports. "I'm also told the team is 'not worried' about his injury (shoulder strain) going forward."

Houston will be down Brown for some time, and if Kunkel's report is true, then they will be down their staff ace for at least the next three weeks.

After posting a 0.84 ERA in two starts to begin the season with 17 strikeouts, with only five hits and one run allowed in 10.2 innings pitched, Brown is landing on the injured list and will miss the next few weeks.

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This report from Kunkel likely means Astros fans won't be able to see Brown rejoin the rotation until sometime in May at the earliest.

In the meantime, Tatsuya Imai, Michael Burrows, Cristian Javier, and Lance McCullers will need to pick up the slack while Brown is out. Spencer Arrighetti, among others, could also factor into the rotation.

Brown is going to miss at least a few weeks, according to this report, with a return in April looking unlikely barring a change in his recovery and different reporting.