The Houston Astros placed ace right-hander Hunter Brown on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right shoulder strain.

The move was retroactive to Thursday.

Brown finished third in American League Cy Young Award balloting last season. He is 1-0 with an 0.84 ERA in two starts this season, striking out 17 in just 10 1/3 innings.

Brown, 27, last pitched Tuesday when he defeated the Boston Red Sox. He gave up one run and one hit and struck out eight against two walks in six innings.

There was no immediate word on how long Brown might be sidelined. Houston announced the move before manager Joe Espada met with reporters prior to the club’s Sunday afternoon road game against the Athletics.

Brown made the AL All-Star team for the first time last season when he went 12-9 with a 2.43 ERA in 31 starts. He struck out a career-high 206 and posted a stellar 1.03 WHIP.

He is 37-31 with a 3.44 ERA in 102 appearances (94 starts) since reaching the majors in 2022.

The Astros promoted right-hander Christian Roa from Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. He had a 6.75 ERA in two relief appearances for Houston earlier this season.

The 27-year-old pitched one scoreless inning of relief in his lone outing for Sugar Land this season.

–Field Level Media

Garrett Mitchell doubled, homered, and racked up five RBIs for the visiting Milwaukee Brewers in a 5-2 win over the Kansas City Royals in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday.

Luis Rengifo was 2-for-5 with two doubles and a run, and Christian Yelich was 2-for-5 with two runs for the Brewers. Jac Caglianone was 2-for-3 with a walk, and Lane Thomas and Bobby Witt Jr. each had an RBI for the Royals.

Milwaukee starting pitcher Chad Patrick (1-0) picked up the win as he went five innings, gave up four hits, walked three, and struck out three. Luinder Avila (0-1) took the loss for the Royals, as he only lasted three innings, surrendered eight hits, five runs, walked three, and struck out four.

Trevor Megill threw a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save of the season for MIlwaukee which won its third straight game.

The Brewers jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Mitchell drove a high fast ball to the wall in right center field that plated Rengifo and Yelich in the first inning. In his next at bat, Mitchell launched Avila’s hanging curveball deep over the right field fence for a three-run home run, as Milwaukee extended its lead to 5-0 in the top of the third.

Vinnie Pasquantino led off the sixth inning with a single and advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch by Milwaukee reliever Aaron Ashby. After a Salvador Perez ground out, Jac Caglianone’s infield single placed runners on the corners for the Royals with one out.

But Ashby struck out both Starling Marte and Isaac Collins to end the Royals’ threat.

In the bottom of the seventh, Kansas City finally got on the board when pinch hitter Thomas lined an RBI double into the left field corner that scored Nick Loftin as the Royals cut their deficit to 5-1. Maikel Garcia’s ground out to first moved Thomas to third. Witt’s sizzling one-hooper to second base led to an infield RBI single and the Royals pulled closer at 5-2.

Megill issued walks to Thomas and Witt in the bottom of the ninth but struck out Pasquantino looking to end the threat.

–Field Level Media

The Cleveland Guardians’ home game against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday was postponed due to inclement weather, with a traditional doubleheader scheduled for Sunday at 1:10 p.m. ET.

Slated to start Saturday for the Cubs, right-hander Edward Cabrera is listed as Sunday’s Game 1 starter. Left-hander Parker Messick is listed as the Guardians’ Game 1 starter. The Game 2 starters have not been announced.

Guardians rookie Chase DeLauter, who entered Saturday tied for the major league lead with five home runs, belted a two-run shot in Friday’s 4-1 victory over the Cubs in the series opener.

–Field Level Media