There are three games remaining in the 2026 regular season, and somehow the Astros control their own destiny in the American League West.
The Astros have won two of three games this week despite not having a starting pitcher complete three innings. Hunter Brown will start Friday’s game in West Sacramento, with Hayden Wesneski likely to follow Saturday. But what about Sunday?
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This would’ve been Cristian Javier’s turn in the rotation, but Javier was placed on the injured list Wednesday after leaving Tuesday’s start with a groin injury.
It is possible Sunday’s game will be meaningless, but what if it’s not? What if it’s a must-win? Who starts, and how on Earth do Joe Espada, Josh Miller and company piece together 27 outs?
Here are some logical, illogical and downright crazy possibilities for who could start Game 162.
Pitchers already on the active roster
Ethan Pecko
Pecko would be starting on three days rest in this scenario, but he only threw 51 pitches in 2 2/3 innings in what was a disappointing start on Wednesday in Seattle. Pecko has not pitched in a game on less than four days of rest since his second professional outing in 2023 after facing three hitters in his pro debut in rookie ball.
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Miguel Ullola
Ullola will be down on Friday after another impressive outing on Thursday against the A’s. It’s hard to think he wouldn’t come into play on Saturday, assuming he’s available, but if not, the Astros could try to extract a three inning start from him on Sunday.
Ronel Blanco
Blanco has pitched once since slogging through four shutout innings against the White Sox on Sept. 1, and that was the 14-4 game in Tampa when he entered with the Astros trailing 9-0. Blanco hasn’t been good since returning from Tommy John surgery in July. He has a 7.11 ERA over 31 2/3 innings with a 6.66 FIP, but Blanco has completed at least four innings in all five of his starts.
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Tatsuya Imai
Needing just 13 outs for a $1 million bonus, Imai has thrown just 17 innings in seven games since being banished to the bullpen two months ago. He has a 2.12 ERA with a 2.21 FIP and a 34.3% strikeout rate out of the bullpen, but he hasn’t thrown a pitch with the Astros leading or tied since his last start in Anaheim on July 27, when he failed to complete the first inning for the third time in 15 starts. That Blanco made that start against the White Sox should tell you all you need to know about how the team currently feels about Imai.
Pitchers in the organization
Mike Burrows
Remember him? Burrows was returned from his rehab assignment on Monday after the minor league season ended. While on the 60-day IL, Burrows is throwing bullpens are joined the Astros in Sacramento on Thursday. He was a candidate to start that game against the White Sox on September 1, but shoulder inflammation ended that possibility. Burrows hasn’t pitched in the Majors since July 6, but he did post a 1.76 ERA in four rehab starts with Sugar Land.
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Bryce Mayer
The Astros minor league pitcher of the year posted a 5.45 ERA in seven Triple-A starts after finishing his time in Double-A with a 2.61 ERA. Allowing 10 earned runs in eight innings while making two starts in Albuquerque and Las Vegas didn’t help that ERA. Mayer’s last two starts were a struggle despite pitching in neutral ballparks, and he eclipsed 100 innings for the first time as a pro. I imagine the Astros are content with his season being over.
You want to get nuts? Let’s get nuts!
Lance McCullers Jr.
Listen, I have no idea if McCullers has even thrown a baseball since he was released by the Brewers two months ago. I’m here for the story, and what a story it would be if the man who closed out game seven of the 2017 ALCS and started game seven of the World Series 11 days later, ended his career by helping the Astros win another American League West crown.
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Justin Verlander
Hey man, you said you wanted to get nuts.
Verlander is currently scheduled to make the final start of his illustrious career on Saturday in Detroit, but hear me out: What if his old golfing buddy, Jim Crane, were to make a call to see if Verlander might be interested in rejoining his old team and pitching in a game with actual stakes?
The Tigers could then place Verlander on waivers, where the Astros could claim him and get him on a flight to California.
Of course, none of this will ever happen. The Tigers wouldn’t screw over their already pissed-off fan base, and even if Verlander wanted it to happen, he’d have to be placed on waivers now so the 48-hour waiver period could pass in time for him to start for the Astros on Sunday.
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But imagine if it did happen.
You’d have one of this generation’s greatest pitchers making the final start of his career, pitching in one of baseball’s great cathedrals, Sutter Health Park, on the west side of Sacramento, California, trying to get a team he hasn’t played for in two years back to the playoffs.
How can you not be romantic about baseball?
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