Ryan Gusto Didn’t Flinch in His First Start
Pitching with awareness and without ego, Gusto kept the game within reach.
The Astros need innings. That’s it. April exposes the gaps, and someone always ends up covering 60 or 70 of them before the rotation settles. Right now, Gusto is that guy. He’s already here, already stretched out, already giving them what they need.
This wasn’t supposed to be his debut. Gusto was lined up to start the final game of the 2024 season in Cleveland. A quiet nod. It rained. Game cancelled. Gusto packed his bag and kept working.
He opened 2025 in the bullpen. No surprise. He was already on the 40-man, already on the 26-man. Four outings. Eight innings. One run. Nine strikeouts. Arrighetti got hurt, and Gusto was just the obvious choice. He was already stretched out and already doing the job.
He Gave the Astros What They Needed
Saturday against the Angels was his first big-league start. It opened with three straight hits. Two runs in before he got an out. But he didn’t lose his tempo. He didn’t reach for velocity. He stuck with the plan.
He went to the changeup. Found the cutter. Gave up one more run on a solo shot to Nolan Schanuel in the fourth. Four innings, three earned, six strikeouts, no walks. He gave them a chance.
Not everyone else did.
What He’s Working With
He brings a full mix and the discipline to use it.
Four-seamer (93–96 mph): Enough ride to get swings up in the zone
Cutter: Tight, efficient, especially against lefties
Changeup: His best pitch. Used in any count. Late fade, full confidence
Slider: Longer than the cutter, useful off the same tunnel
Sinker: Shape contrast early in counts. Not a weapon, but it plays
Curveball: Rare, but shows enough feel to land it when needed
He Might Not Stay. And That’s the Point.
Lance McCullers Jr. just finished his third rehab start in Sugar Land. Arrighetti should be back in about six weeks. Colton Gordon and AJ Blubaugh are waiting.
He’ll probably head back to Triple-A, not because he’s struggling, but because the staff’s still unsettled. Between injuries and option decisions, it’s just how the roster moves right now.
Tayler Scott’s out of options and hasn’t shown enough to lock down a role. That makes the decision easier, even if it isn’t clean.
He might not hold the rotation spot. But he gave them a solid start when they needed one. And he’ll do it again if they ask.
He’s not chasing more than he is. And that’s probably why he keeps showing up when they need someone who won’t flinch.