Astros move McHugh to 60-day DL; add Martes

For all the success, the Astros starting pitching situation leaves a blemish on their future. The team currently has four starting pitchers on four starting pitchers on the disabled list: Dallas Keuchel (neck discomfort), Collin McHugh (posterior impingement in his right elbow), Charlie Morton (right lat strain) and Joe Musgrove (right shoulder discomfort).

Now the Astros have made a move to attempt to stem the tide by adding their top pitching prospect Francis Martes to the major league roster on Thursday. In order to make room on the full 40-man roster, the team has transferred McHugh on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to March 30.

MLB.com’s Brain McTaggart reports that McHugh has started throwing bullpens again this week:

Right-hander Collin McHugh, on the disabled list since the end of spring with a posterior impingement in his right elbow, has thrown about 15-20 pitches off the mound four times -- fastballs and changeups only -- and he hopes to work in some breaking balls this week.

McHugh, 29, had been dealing with a “dead arm” since spring training and wasn’t even throwing off the mound for the first month or so.

Martes, 21, has been a diamond from the rough after being a thrown in player in the Jarred Costart trade in 2014 with the Marlins.The right-hander has struggled in Triple-A with a 0-2 record and a 5.29 ERA in eight starts. But the Astros were without many options to help out the major league bullpen with Ashur Tolliver injured and Jordan Jankowski unable to return until Friday.