Houston.– The fear of the Astros has been confirmed. Dominican pitcher Ronel Blanco will undergo right elbow surgery next week, which will keep him out of action for the rest of the 2025 season, the team reported on Wednesday. According to medical estimates, the right-hander could return for the 2026 campaign.
Blanco was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 22 after being diagnosed with elbow inflammation. The situation worsened, and the medical staff determined that surgery was inevitable. This injury adds to a series of setbacks that have severely hit Houston’s starting rotation.
Before being sidelined by the injury, Blanco had a 3-3 record with an ERA of 4.04. However, his road outings were especially tough, with a 0-2 record and a high ERA of 7.11 on the road.
Just a week earlier, fellow pitcher Hayden Wesneski underwent Tommy John surgery to repair the right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament on May 23, which also sidelines him for the rest of the year.
With these absences, the only active members of the Opening Day rotation still healthy are Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown. The rest of the pitching staff remains out with injuries: Venezuelan Luis García and Dominican Cristian Javier have not yet pitched in the 2025 season as they continue their respective rehab after undergoing Tommy John surgeries.
“The right-hander for the Astros, Ronel Blanco, will undergo right elbow surgery next week, which will keep him out of action for the rest of the season,” the team announced on Wednesday. “The Dominican is expected to return during the 2026 campaign.”
“Blanco was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 22 after being diagnosed with elbow inflammation. He is the second starter Houston has lost to a season-ending surgery in the past week, after Hayden Wesneski underwent a Tommy John to repair his right elbow’s ulnar collateral ligament on May 23.”
“The Dominican‑born Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown are the only healthy starters left in the Astros’ Opening Day rotation. At the same time, Venezuelan Luis García and Dominican Cristian Javier have not yet pitched in 2025 as they recover from Tommy John surgeries.”
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