This week the Astros Universe starts where it has to — with Phil Garner. Scrap Iron passed away Saturday at 76 after more than two years fighting pancreatic cancer. The man who managed Houston to its first World Series in 2005 deserved the first few minutes of this show.

Then the baseball happened. A 1-9 road trip. An eight game losing streak — the longest since 2013. Hunter Brown, Tatsuya Imai, and Jeremy Peña all on the IL simultaneously. Colton Gordon making his MLB debut in the middle of a rotation fire drill.

There was good news. Josh Hader threw live batting practice Tuesday. Sugarland recorded three walk-off wins in a single series. And down in Fayetteville, Xavier Neyens hit his first professional home run at 116 miles per hour — a ball hit so hard it would rank among the hardest contact in Astros MLB history.

Prospect Spotlight: Xavier Neyens — the 19-year-old first round pick with 70-grade power and a swing that just announced itself to the entire organization.

The Astros Universe covers the full Houston Astros organization every Wednesday — Single-A to the Show. Follow us on X: @AstrosUniverse

Hunter Brown is on the IL with a grade two shoulder strain. The ace is out for weeks, potentially months. That's the gut punch that opened this week.

Then Tatsuya Imai went out to West Sacramento, made one mechanical fix, and threw five and two thirds innings of shutout ball with nine strikeouts to earn his first career MLB win. One ace out. One ace in.

Also this week: the Astros go 1-4 but lead the American League in runs scored, Isaac Paredes keeps driving in winning runs despite the front office trying to trade him all offseason, and all four minor league affiliates play their first games within 48 hours of each other.

Prospect Spotlight: Kevin Alvarez — the 18-year-old Cuban-born number one prospect in the system who delivered a walk-off double in his second professional game at Fayetteville.

The Astros Universe covers the full Houston Astros organization every Wednesday — Single-A to the Show. Follow us on X: @AstrosUniverse

The Houston Astros went 0-2 to start the season and ended the week leading the majors in runs scored. Week one was a lot.

Lance McCullers Jr. took the mound Monday against Boston and delivered seven innings, one run, and nine strikeouts — his longest outing since September 2022. The crowd gave him a standing ovation. It was earned.

Also this week: Tatsuya Imai makes his MLB debut at Daikin Park with four walks in three innings, the Astros score 11 unanswered runs in a single comeback win, Isaac Paredes keeps making the front office regret trying to trade him, and all four minor league affiliates open within 48 hours of each other.

Prospect Spotlight: Miguel Olla, the $75,000 signing from the Dominican Republic who carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning in his 2026 debut.

The Astros Universe covers the full Houston Astros organization every Wednesday — Single-A to the Show. Follow us on X: @AstrosUniverse