Astros' Hunter Brown set to return vs. Tigers' Framber Valdez

The second contest of a three-game series between the Houston Astros and visiting Detroit Tigers on Tuesday will present an intriguing confluence relative to the opposing starting pitchers.

Ace right-hander Hunter Brown (1-0, 0.84 ERA) will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday to make just his third start of the season as his Astros attempt to rebound from a 9-3 loss in the series opener. Brown landed on the IL on April 2 with a right shoulder sprain.

Brown is 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA in six career appearances (five starts) against the Tigers.

He will work opposite Detroit left-hander Framber Valdez, who entered last season as the Astros' ace before ceding that title to Brown and departing the organization during the offseason as a free agent. It will mark the first start for Valdez against his former club.

Brown was named an American League All-Star and finished third in Cy Young voting in 2025 with a 12-9 record, a 2.43 ERA and 206 strikeouts across 185 1/3 innings. The Astros eagerly have awaited the return of their ace. That it will come against their former ace offers intrigue.

"I'm excited for seeing Framber back," Astros manager Joe Espada said. "You can't ignore what he's meant for this organization. But honestly, I'm more excited about our starter than their starter."

Valdez (3-5, 4.40 ERA) is 1-4 with a 5.10 ERA over his past nine starts, with 41 strikeouts and 20 walks across 47 2/3 innings. He allowed four runs on six hits and two walks with two strikeouts over five innings in a 6-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins last Wednesday, marking the fifth time in 14 starts this season that Valdez has surrendered four-plus earned runs.

The Astros are 2-7 over those nine games.

Valdez finished 81-52 with a 3.36 ERA across 188 appearances (166 starts) and eight seasons with the Astros.

Just when Detroit appeared set to re-establish a healthy rotation, right-hander Troy Melton was scratched from his start on Monday with what Tigers manager A.J. Hinch described as general back soreness. The Tigers activated ace Tarik Skubal from the 15-day injured list over the weekend and will reinstate right-hander Casey Mize (adductor) from the IL to start Wednesday.

"I don't know the severity of it. I don't know if there is a move coming," Hinch said. "We just need to get it checked out and make sure everything is OK moving forward."

Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander (hip) made his one start of the season on March 30. However, he worked four innings and logged just under 70 pitches during a simulated game prior to the start of the series and also is nearing a return to the rotation.

Hinch opted not to commit to a firm date for that return but noted that Verlander has progressed enough that the Tigers' weekend series against the visiting Chicago White Sox might be in play.

"(Tuesday) is probably more of a key day than necessarily a couple of hours after the outing," Hinch said of Verlander.

"It doesn't change this series, and right now I just want to get through this series. We'll deal with the White Sox when we get there."

--Field Level Media