Astros’ Hunter Brown reveals key to sudden turnaround amid hot start to 2025 campaign

The Houston Astros have had a lukewarm start to the 2025 MLB season, sitting just above .500 at 16-15. But while the team works to regain consistency, Hunter Brown has quickly become a breakout story– and possibly the key to a midseason surge.

Just over a year ago, Brown faced one of the worst outings in modern MLB history, giving up a staggering nine runs to the Kansas City Royals in less than an inning,

“It’s no secret. At the time I was pitching terribly,” he told MLB analyst Jeff Passan. “I knew I was running out of time— so I just let it all loose.”

Hunter Brown’s change in pix mitch leads to revival

What followed was a dramatic shift in both mindset and mechanics. Brown revived a long-abandoned weapon– his two-seam fastball– and began rebuilding from the inside out. Encouraged by veteran teammates like Jose Altuve and former teammate Alex Bregman, he returned to the basics and learned to pitch with renewed confidence and purpose.

That turning point came last May in Detroit, his hometown, when he came out of the bullpen and dominated the Tigers with five innings of one-run ball and seven strikeouts. Since then, he’s held one of the lowest ERAs in the American League.

In the 2025 MLB season, Brown is pitching like a true ace. His 1.22 ERA across six starts puts him ahead of nearly every starter in the AL and squarely in the early Cy Young conversation. The addition of the two-seam fastball has complemented his already electric arsenal, allowing him to keep hitters guessing.

Astros closer Josh Hader said it best: “He embraced that ass whooping.. and just became who he is now.”

Even though Houston hasn’t fully hit its stride, Hunter Brown gives them an edge every fifth day. With elite command and a rejuvenated six-pitch mix, he’s proving to be the type of pitcher who can anchor a postseason run.

If the rest of the rotation and offense follow his lead, the Astros could quickly rise in the standings– and it may all start with Brown’s personal evolution.