Josh Hader landed on the injured list with a left shoulder strain, forcing Houston to lean on a bullpen committee in a tight win over Boston. In his absence, Espada deployed Enyel De Los Santos and Bennett Sousa in the ninth, with Sousa earning his fifth career save (and fourth this season) after facing one batter. Hader’s August workload has been light but effective, posting a 2.05 ERA and a 4.75 K:BB across multiple multi-inning appearances, a true closer’s backbone that Houston will miss as it fights to hold the AL West lead.

The Astros are also missing a slew of pieces—Isaac Paredes, Yordan Alvarez, Jake Meyers, and pitchers Ronel Blanco, Lance McCullers Jr., Luis García, and Hayden Wesneski—juicing the bullpen workload and widening the gap in a tight division race. Houston sits one game ahead of Seattle as July faded, with the Mariners 9-1 in a recent stretch while Houston has gone 5-5. With Hader out, Espada is likely to keep a committee approach with Abreu, King, and others stepping up in high-leverage spots, testing fantasy rosters that rely on late-inning wins and save opportunities.

Ronel Blanco of the Houston Astros recently underwent significant arm surgery, which involved repairing both his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and a flexor tendon. This internal brace technique aims to reinforce the UCL, potentially leading to faster recovery compared to conventional Tommy John surgery, which typically demands a 12-14 month hiatus. Blanco's elbow discomfort surfaced after a May 17 appearance against the Texas Rangers, prompting an MRI that revealed inflammation.

While there’s no specified recovery timeline from the Astros, it’s confirmed that Blanco will miss the remainder of the season. The 31-year-old had shown promise in 2024, recording a 2.80 ERA over 167.1 innings, but struggled in the early part of this season with a 4.10 ERA across his first nine starts. This surgery adds to the Astros' pitching woes, as they have already lost teammate Hayden Wesneski to a similar injury.

The Houston Astros have made significant roster adjustments, opting to send left-hander Colton Gordon to Triple-A after his second start in the majors. In his recent outing against the Tampa Bay Rays, Gordon allowed three runs in 5 ⅓ innings. This move opens a spot for lefty Brandon Walter, who has been called up from Triple-A Sugar Land to make his first major league start against the Rays on Tuesday.

Walter brings with him a mixed record from his previous stint in the majors last season, where he posted a 6.26 ERA across nine relief appearances with Boston. Meanwhile, to accommodate Walter on the 40-man roster, Hayden Wesneski has been transferred to the 60-day injured list as he will undergo Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the season.

Hayden Wesneski, once a promising pitching prospect for the New York Yankees, is set to undergo Tommy John surgery, marking a significant setback in his career. After being traded to the Chicago Cubs and later to the Houston Astros, Wesneski has struggled to find his footing in the majors. Initially showing promise with a 3.18 ERA during his debut season, consistency has eluded him, resulting in frequent roster changes. Wesneski's surgery means he will miss the entirety of the 2025 season and potentially much of 2026, forcing him to focus on rehabilitation and recovery.

The implications for the Astros are considerable as they hoped for a resurgence in Wesneski's performance within their pitching framework. This injury casts a shadow over previous trades that aimed to bolster pitching depth, notably the swap that brought him to Houston alongside other prospects. For the Yankees, the ramifications of the original trade with the Cubs also linger as they look to solidify their own pitching rotation amidst ongoing challenges.

The Houston Astros have encountered another setback this season with the announcement that pitcher Hayden Wesneski will undergo Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for the remainder of the 2026 season. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade that sent Kyle Tucker to Chicago, Wesneski was considered a key component of the Astros' rotation amidst a wave of injuries. His journey began with the Yankees, where he demonstrated promising talent with a 3.93 ERA in his tenure with the Cubs.

Despite being injured since May, the Astros were hopeful for Wesneski's return, especially given their current plight with multiple pitchers, including Spencer Arrighetti and Cristian Javier, also undergoing Tommy John procedures. This latest injury amplifies the challenges for Houston as they navigate a season marred by setbacks.