Astros fall 3-0 to Pirates on June 5, 2025, as Ronel Blanco faces season-ending surgery. Read how Houston's tough day unfolded against Pittsburgh.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a tough pill to swallow for Astros fans on Thursday. Not only did the bats go silent in a 3-0 shutout loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, capping a disappointing series defeat, but the team was also hit with devastating news regarding pitcher Ronel Blanco, who is set for season-ending Tommy John surgery. A rough day at the office, to say the least, for a team still battling to maintain its AL West dominance.
Ronel Blanco, a key piece of the Astros' rotation, will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery, a significant blow to the team's pitching depth.
The Astros just couldn't get anything going against Pirates rookie Mike Burrows, who delivered a masterful performance to earn his first career win. Our offense was stifled, managing only a handful of hits, with Victor Caratini's second-inning double to deep right being the lone extra-base knock. Framber Valdez (now 5-4, 3.12 ERA) battled on the mound but didn't get the run support he needed. The Pirates chipped away with runs in the second inning – an RBI groundout from Isiah Kiner-Falefa and a sacrifice fly by Andrew McCutchen – and added another in the third on a double play, sealing the 3-0 victory for Pittsburgh.
The loss stings, but the news about Ronel Blanco is a gut punch. The right-hander, who was placed on the IL back on May 22 and later moved to the 60-day IL, is scheduled for Tommy John surgery on June 6 to repair a torn UCL. This means we won't see Blanco back on the mound until 2026, a significant blow to our pitching depth. However, there's a sliver of positive news on the injury front: J.P. France is set to throw his first live bullpen session tomorrow, June 6, in West Palm Beach. France, recovering from right shoulder capsule surgery, has been out since March but is eyeing a return in late 2025. It’s a long road back, but any progress is welcome news for the rotation's future.
Even in a shutout loss, there were individual bright spots. Shortstop Jeremy Pena just keeps hitting, extending his hitting streak to an impressive 10 games! During this tear, he's batting a scorching .410 with two doubles, three homers, and five RBIs. Pena now leads the team with a .312 average. Meanwhile, Isaac Paredes continues to be our main power source, leading the Astros with 12 home runs and 34 RBI – numbers that rank him 22nd and 37th in MLB, respectively. And let's not forget Jake Meyers, who quietly extended his own hitting streak to four games. He's batting .278 over his last five outings and hitting a solid .292 for the season. These guys are giving us reasons to cheer even when the team result isn't there.
Despite the loss today and the tough news about Blanco, let's take a deep breath and look at the bigger picture. The Houston Astros, with a 33-28 record, still sit atop the AL West. We've gone 7-3 in our last 10 games, and even with today's offensive freeze, the team has averaged 3.5 runs per game with 13 homers over that stretch. The pitching staff has also been racking up strikeouts at an impressive 10.7 K/9 rate. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and holding first place despite adversity shows this team's resilience.
Thursday, June 5th, was undoubtedly a challenging day for the Astros and their fans. A frustrating loss coupled with the crushing news about Ronel Blanco's season-ending surgery is a tough combination. However, the continued excellence of players like Jeremy Pena and Isaac Paredes, the progress of J.P. France, and the team's persistent hold on first place in the AL West provide reasons for optimism. This team has faced adversity before and will need to dig deep, find solutions for the rotation, and get the bats firing again. The road ahead just got a bit tougher, but the fight for October continues.
