The Astros have announced that rookie AJ Blubaugh will start against the Tigers, facing another rookie, Jackson Jobe, in his major league debut. Blubaugh, 24, a top pitching prospect, has a 4.02 ERA over 268 1/3 minor league innings and has transitioned from reliever to full-time starter, posting a 3.71 ERA last year. He has shown early success in the Pacific Coast League with a 3.86 ERA and a 30% strikeout rate, as he prepares for his first MLB appearance, potentially as a spot start due to Hayden Wesneski’s diminished velocity.
