Lambert, who turns 29 on Saturday, was once among Colorado’s top-five pitching prospects, praised for his control and his changeup. After leaving Colorado following the 2024 season, he spent a year in Japan with the Yakult Swallows before signing a minor-league deal with Houston in November.
He opted out of the Astros’ spring camp but re-signed and has impressed at Triple-A Sugar Land this season, posting a 1.84 ERA in three appearances with a 5.1% walk rate and a strong ground-ball rate. His four-seam fastball sits around 94.5 mph.
Lambert’s MLB arc includes 74 appearances for Colorado from 2019-2024, with a 6.28 ERA in part attributed to pitching at Coors Field. After being outrighted by the Rockies in 2024, he elected free agency and later joined Houston.
Houston’s rotation crisis has left the team with limited options ahead of the Cardinals series. With Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier on the injured list for shoulder strains, Tatsuya Imai dealing with arm fatigue, and Cody Bolton dealing with back inflammation, the Astros needed a contingency starter during a 13-game stretch with no off days. Lambert’s sinker-heavy approach and ground-ball tendency could help limit hard contact.
The Cardinals ride into Houston with momentum, led by outfielder Jordan Walker and rookie JJ Wetherholt. Lambert’s lone major-league start against St. Louis came in 2019, and he’ll look to write a new chapter in his Astros debut.
A corresponding 40-man roster move is expected, likely involving moving a pitcher to the 60-day injured list to clear space as Houston navigates its injury-riddled rotation.
