WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Houston Astros left-hander Bennett Souza will start the season on the injured list, manager Joe Espada said Thursday.
Souza, 30, strained his left oblique muscle during last Thursday’s Grapefruit League game against the Washington Nationals. Sosa returned to Houston for further testing, but Espada said he would “rest for a while.”
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“We’re not going to let him pitch until the pain goes away,” Espada said.
Last year was Sosa’s breakout season after missing the 2024 season due to injury. In 2025, he appeared in 44 games, posting a 2.84 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings. But on August 20, Sosa entered the injured list due to left elbow inflammation and did not return.
Sosa’s departure is the latest blow to Houston’s bullpen. Last week, Espada said All-Star closer Josh Hader would be on the 15-day injured list to start the new season. Hader did not appear in any spring training games, and his buildup will continue until after the Astros’ opener against the Los Angeles Angels on March 26.
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