The Houston Astros are losing their ace to the injured list.
Star right-hander Hunter Brown was placed on the 15-day IL on Sunday with a right shoulder strain, per a team announcement.
The move is retroactive to April 2.
Christian Roa was recalled from triple-A Sugar Land to take his spot on Houston's roster.
Brown was off to a strong start in 2026, allowing just one earned run and five hits over his first 10.2 innings of work. He also entered Sunday's action tied for third in the American League with 17 strikeouts.
The 27-year-old finished third in AL Cy Young voting and earned his first career all-star nod in 2025. Brown finished the season with a 2.43 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 185.1 innings and 31 starts.
Houston has taken an early lead in the AL West, sitting atop the division with a 6-3 record.
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