The Astros’ starting rotation was riddled by injuries in 2023, and to some extent, continues to be affected by those same injuries. Given financial constraints, I will be surprised if the Astros make any off-season moves to improve the rotation. So, it’s really important for the 2023 starting pitchers to improve in 2024.
When most people talk about 2024 rotation concerns, they mention Verlander’s age or Valdez’s performance drop-off in September and October. But we have a huge body of experience with Verlander and Valdez. For that reason, they aren’t the biggest question marks. Maybe I can surprise you by suggesting that Hunter Brown’s performance will be a key to the rotation’s effectiveness.