In the high-stakes world of baseball, information is gold — particularly when it comes to player injuries. Sometimes, however, that information slips out unexpectedly and causes waves within a fanbase. The Houston Astros, amid a tight race, are the latest to find themselves in such a moment. An offhand comment during a live broadcast has ignited speculation and possible concern. This incident peels back the curtain on the careful dance between teams and information, particularly when a key player’s season might be at stake.
The Houston club has shown resilience, recently winning two of three crucial games. They won against the Kansas City Royals, 2-1, with a walk-off homer by Isaac Paredes on May 13. They added to that a 4-3 win over the same Royals on May 14th. However, their bats went silent in a close 0-1 defeat to the Texas Rangers on May 15th.
As of now, the Astros were a decent 22-20. They occupy second place in the AL West, one game behind the division-leading Seattle Mariners. In the midst of that division chase, an unexpected update regarding pitcher Hayden Wesneski came out.
The real drama happened during the Wednesday, May 14th, broadcast against the Kansas City Royals. Space City Home Network’s Todd Kalas was discussing team expectations. He stated, “Arrighetti can still fulfill that… he is obviously not gonna to be out for the season, but Hayden Wesneski is likely to be out for the season.”
Kalas added, “We’ll find out more as we go along.” This bombshell dropped before any official team confirmation of such a dire outlook. Manager Joe Espada had stated just days earlier, on Monday, May 12th, “We are waiting to hear, getting more results… I won’t have anything on Wesneski for the next day or two.”
The state of the Houston Astros
Wesneski came to Houston in the offseason trade for Kyle Tucker from the Chicago Cubs. He was expected to provide valuable depth to the Astros’ starting rotation. But his season took a turn for the worse in late April. He also missed a start on April 30th, but before that, Espada on April 29th said, “Yes, he’s healthy.”
Wesneski then pitched May 6th, allowing 4 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks with 3 Ks to Milwaukee when he experienced soreness in his elbow following the game. The team placed him on the 15-day injured list on May 9th, retroactive to May 7th, due to “right elbow discomfort.” An MRI later revealed significant inflammation, clouding his immediate future.
Mar 29, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates with shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) after hitting a home run during the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
So, how was Wesneski performing for the ‘Stros before this setback? The right-hander started six games for Houston this season. His 1-3 win-loss record and 4.50 ERA in 32 innings pitched are not going to shine on a stat sheet. But his 29 strikeouts against a manageable WHIP of 1.09 had some promise.
Sadly, Wesneski isn’t the only arm Houston is worried about. Their pitching staff has been hit hard by injuries. Spencer Arrighetti (broken right thumb), Forrest Whitley (left knee sprain), Luis Garcia (Tommy John surgery), Cristian Javier (Tommy John surgery), and J.P. France (torn right shoulder capsule) are all on IL. The Astros are no doubt getting through a tough time, though Lance McCullers Jr. recently returned. Key offensive players like Yordan Alvarez have also missed time, compounding their challenges.
Despite these injury woes, the Astros remain competitive in the 2025 season. The team has scored 174 runs and allowed only 153, displaying strong run prevention. Their pitching boasts a strong 3.46 team ERA (7th in MLB) and 1.15 WHIP (2nd). Offensively, their .251 team batting average is middle-of-the-pack, but their weighted runs created plus (wRC+) has risen from 93 in April to an excellent 129 in May, signaling improvement.
But with a difficult division and an expanding injury list, particularly to the rotation, it will be their toughest test yet. Can they keep up their contender status?
The post Astros Announcer Accidentally Leaks Season-Threatening Injury Update on Starter During Live Broadcast appeared first on EssentiallySports.