HOUSTON – The Houston Astros will be without one of their top starting pitchers for the remainder of the 2025 MLB season.
Wednesday morning, via X, the team announced that Ronel Blanco will have elbow surgery that will end his season.
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Update on Ronel Blanco: pic.twitter.com/fTunhbFFC6
— Houston Astros (@astros) May 28, 2025
Blanco started nine games for the Astros during the 2025 season, only being surpassed by Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown, who each have 11 starts.
In those nine outings, he tallied four quality starts, a 3-4 record, and 48 strikeouts. He allowed 37 hits, 20 walks, and 22 earned runs.
His best outing of the season came on May 11 against the Cincinnati Reds, when he allowed just two hits and one walk across 8.0 scoreless innings. He also set a new career-high in strikeouts with 11.
MORE ON THAT GAME: Blanco deals 8 shutout innings as Astros dominate Reds on Mother’s Day, take weekend series
Blanco’s absence will be the latest in an Astros’ starting pitching unit haunted by injuries. Starters J.P. France and Christian Javier are on the 60-day IL, and neither player has taken the mound yet this year. Additionally, Hayden Wesneski’s season ended due to Tommy John surgery last week.
The Astros will play the Athletics in Houston on Wednesday. First pitch is slated for 1:10 p.m.
