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HOUSTON.— The Houston Astros confirmed this Wednesday that pitcher Ronel Blanco will undergo surgery on his right elbow next week, which will leave him out for the rest of the 2025 season. It is expected that the Dominican right-hander can return to action during the 2026 season.
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Blanco was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 22, after being diagnosed with elbow inflammation. The surgery marks a new blow for Houston's depleted rotation, which had already recently lost starting pitcher Hayden Wesneski, who underwent Tommy John surgery on May 23.With this absence, the only active starting pitchers from the original Opening Day group are Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. The Venezuelan Luis García and the Dominican Cristian Javier are still recovering from their respective Tommy John surgeries and haven't pitched so far in 2025.
The depth of the mound body has been one of the main concerns for Houston this year, and Blanco's prolonged absence represents a new challenge for the coaching staff and the club's management.
