ARLINGTON, Texas — Houston Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski will undergo Tommy John surgery, manager Joe Espada revealed on Sunday, dealing another blow to a depth-starved starting rotation already missing one mainstay.
Wesneski went on the injured list backdated to May 7 with what the Astros described as right elbow discomfort. Initial imaging showed too much swelling inside Wesneski’s elbow to render a firm diagnosis, but a follow-up appointment with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Keith Meister confirmed the need for reconstructive surgery.
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Wesneski, 27, is one of the three players Houston acquired from the Chicago Cubs this winter in exchange for outfielder Kyle Tucker. The trade doubled as a homecoming for Wesneski, who grew up in Houston as an Astros fan and attended Sam Houston State University in nearby Huntsville, Texas.
Wesneski threw just 32 innings across six starts before going on the injured list. A velocity drop during his April 25 start against the Kansas City Royals caused alarm and forced the Astros to skip his next turn in the rotation. Espada maintained throughout the layoff that Wesneski was healthy.
When Wesneski returned after that 11-day absence, he surrendered four runs during a 40-pitch first inning of what would be the final start of his season. When — or if — Wesneski will make another as an Astro is a mystery. Tommy John surgery carries a 12-14 month recovery, though the Astros have a lengthy recent history of pitchers exceeding that timeframe.
Wesneski is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, making him a possible non-tender candidate if the club believes he won’t contribute for most of 2026. Houston is likely to lose Framber Valdez in free agency, but will return Hunter Brown, Spencer Arrighetti, Lance McCullers Jr. and Ronel Blanco in its rotation.
Presumably, injured righties Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier and J.P. France will join them, making Wesneski somewhat expendable if the club isn’t comfortable paying him the salary he’ll command in arbitration. The Astros did something similar last winter with injured righty José Urquidy, whom they outrighted off the 40-man roster just before the tender deadline.
Whether general manager Dana Brown or owner Jim Crane is concerned about the optics of allowing a piece of the Tucker trade to appear in only six games as an Astro could be a fascinating subplot to the decision.
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In Wesneski’s absence this season, Houston will rely heavily on rookies Ryan Gusto and Colton Gordon while awaiting Arrighetti’s return from a fractured right thumb he sustained last month. Garcia and Javier have chances to contribute, too, after finishing their own recoveries from Tommy John surgery, but both are far too early in their rehab processes to forecast whether a return is feasible.
(Photo: Alex Slitz / Getty Images)
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