Monday, July 07

CLEVELAND -- Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti is still weeks away from returning to action after breaking his thumb in April, but the fact that he’s back to traveling with the team on the road for the first time post-injury has him feeling excited that there’s a light at the end of the rehab tunnel.

“It’s the best,” Arrighetti said with a smile. “That goes without saying. Nobody wants to sit at home and watch the boys on TV every night. I love the camaraderie; I love being here with the team. I love having the stories I’m going to have to tell later on about the friends that I have here, and it means a lot to me to be able to come support them on the road, and we’re playing good ball right now. It’s really exciting and I’m really happy to be here.”

Arrighetti was struck by a line drive during batting practice April 7 in Seattle, breaking his thumb when he put his hand over his head to protect him. As freak injuries go, it was extremely unlucky, though the Astros caught a break when Arrighetti didn’t require surgery. Still, he didn’t start throwing again until May 27 and Friday was throwing at 70 feet on the outfield at Progressive Field.

“We sat down before I started throwing and there’s this plan laid out of how we’re going to build up the volume, build up the intensity, build up the pitch count and adding spin and adding changeups,” Arrighetti said. “I feel each step of the way we’re getting right now I’m kind of meeting it head on and crushing, really. Everything feels great. My thumb feels brand new. I’m really not experiencing anything injury-related at this point, so I’m feeling really confident where everything is at.

“I’m taking the time right now to get really strong, feel really good, get really in shape and it’s going to help me in the long run. Obviously, there’s still no real timetable. There’s not like a date on a calendar right now we’re eyeing, but each time we introduce something new, I’m feeling great about it and I’m feeling like I’m progressing, so I’m really happy with how things have been.”

When Arrighetti was playing catch on Friday, a member of the training staff had a radar gun on him to make sure he wasn’t overdoing it. Considering Arrighetti’s thumb is completely healed, he admits it’s hard to not want to push the process. He’s building up similar to what he would be doing early in Spring Training.

“Honestly, I think that’s the hardest part is me not yanking on the leash a little bit,” he said. “They’ve got the radar gun on me making sure it’s not above that velocity they want to see, and every so often I kind of accidentally get behind one just because things are feeling good. My body’s moving well, the ball is coming out well. I think the biggest challenge right now is not wanting to do more and allowing myself the time to slowly build things up like we’re supposed to avoid those hiccups.”

Arrighetti’s injury was the first of three major injuries to the Astros starting rotation this year. Hayden Wesneski and Ronel Blanco, who also began the season in the rotation, both underwent Tommy John surgery and will be out the rest of the season. Arrighetti will return at some point this year, and with the Astros leading the American League West division he’s excited about joining a team in a pennant race.

“I’m just really, really grateful that the guys have done such a great job on and off the field to grind out these games that we have ourselves in a good position in the division,” he said. “Obviously, that’s more fire for me. That’s the motivation I need to get in the training room and crush everything I’ve got every day just to make sure I can be and will be part of that when I get back.”

Arrighetti, 25, went 7-13 with a 4.53 ERA as a rookie in 2024 and pitched better in the second half (3.18 ERA) than the first half (5.63 ERA).

Phase 1 of the balloting for next month’s 2025 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta is underway, allowing fans to vote for the starting position players in both leagues. Astros star Jose Altuve is again on the All-Star Game ballot at second base, though he made the transition to the outfield this year. Altuve has started 32 games in left field, 14 at second and 15 at designated hitter.

Last year, Altuve was elected to his ninth All-Star Game, but didn’t play in the game because of a hand injury. In fact, Altuve hasn’t played in an All-Star Game since 2018. He was previously named an All-Star in 2012, ’14-18 and ’21-22. Astros shortstop Jeremy Peña has a strong All-Star case, along with pitchers Hunter Brown and Josh Hader (pitchers are not on the ballot).

Right-handed pitching prospect Miguel Ullola (Astros’ No. 4 prospect) was named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month in May for the first time in his career. Ullola dominated opposing batters for the Triple-A Sugar Land Space Cowboys in May with a 1.17 ERA in five starts with 34 strikeouts, including 10 on May 8 against the Salt Lake Bees.

Ullola also earned back-to-back PCL Pitcher of the Week honors in May. On Wednesday, Ullola threw five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and one hit allowed. He has given up only one earned run in his last three starts and ranks tied for fourth in the PCL in strikeouts with 52.

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