Astros' Arrighetti breaks thumb after being hit by liner during BP

Houston Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti suffered a broken right thumb Monday in a freak pregame accident at T-Mobile Park, the team announced.

Arrighetti was playing catch in the outfield as the Seattle Mariners were taking batting practice when a Mariners hitter ripped a line drive that struck his thumb and broke it. Tests taken a short time later confirmed the fracture.

The 25-year-old won't require surgery on his thumb and will be in a cast for "two or two and a half weeks," before undergoing follow-up imaging, manager Joe Espada told The Athletic's Chandler Rome.

Arrighetti owns a 5.59 ERA, 4.64 FIP, and 0.93 WHIP with eight strikeouts and five walks through his first two starts of the season. The New Mexico native is in his second big-league season.

The Astros did not place Arrighetti on the injured list prior to Monday's game against the Mariners. He was scheduled to make his next start Friday against the Los Angeles Angels in Houston.

Houston was already dealing with a shortage of pitching depth before Arrighetti's injury. Starters J.P. France, Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier, Lance McCullers Jr., and Shawn Dubin all opened the season on the injured list while recovering from elbow or shoulder injuries. Garcia was transferred to the 60-day IL earlier Tuesday, while McCullers is in the middle of a rehab assignment and isn't ready to return just yet.

Internal options to replace Arrighetti in the short term include prospects Colton Gordon, Miguel Ullola, A.J. Blubaugh, and Misael Tamarez. All four are currently pitching at Triple-A Sugar Land; of that group, only Gordon is currently on the 40-man roster.

Right-hander Ryan Gusto, who made the team out of spring training as a long reliever, could also jump into the rotation. Gusto has made three relief appearances so far this year but has primarily worked as a starter in the minors.