When Astros’ Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier are expected to return from injury

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Dan Fappiano, ClutchPoints

Sun, Apr 19, 2026 ·

2 min read

When Astros’ Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier are expected to return from injury appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

The Houston Astros pitching rotation has been stung massively by the injury bug to begin their 2026 campaign. Amongst the pitchers currently on Houston’s injury list are Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier .

Astros general manager Dana Brown has now revealed when he expects Brown and Javier back on the mound. He is expected both to return around late May/June, although Brown is remaining optimistic about an earlier arrival, via SportsTalk790, h/t Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

“Hopefully it could be a little sooner,” Brown said.

Brown, Hunter that is, has been shut down from throwing after suffering a shoulder strain. The Astros are going to be closely monitoring him as he works his way towards a throwing program. Still, he will have numerous hurdles to leap before returning to the major league mound.

Before suffering his injury, Brown pitched to a 0.84 ERA and a 17/6 K/BB ratio over two starts. Houston will be cautious with the right-hander, as they know how valuable he is in their roster.

Similarly, Javier is dealing with a shoulder strain of his own. He was forced to leave his last start against the Colorado Rockies and was subsequently placed on the injured list. The Astros will be following the same protocol when it comes to Javier, seeing where his shoulder stands at every step of the rehab process.

The right-hander struggled in his three starts prior to injury, posting a 12.54 ERA and a 4/9 K/BB ratio. However, Javier holds a career 3.81 ERA and 602/228 K/BB ratio over his seven years in Houston. The Astros want that in their rotation.

Houston is still marching forward with their World Series goals. When Brown and Javier return, their attempt will only get stronger. If all holds up, that should come around May or June.