Houston Astros left-hander Bennett Sousa will miss significant time after suffering a left oblique strain during a Grapefruit League game against the Washington Nationals. Manager Joe Espada confirmed Sousa would be 'down for a while' and won't throw until the pain subsides. The 30-year-old returned to Houston for further testing after the injury occurred last Thursday.

Sousa had been enjoying a breakout season in 2025 after missing all of 2024 due to injury. He appeared in 44 games with a 2.84 ERA across 50⅔ innings, recording 59 strikeouts before landing on the injured list in August with left elbow inflammation. His absence marks another setback for Houston's bullpen, which is already without All-Star closer Josh Hader.

The loss compounds Houston's pitching woes as the Astros prepare to open the season against the Los Angeles Angels on March 26. Espada said Hader would begin the season on the 15-day injured list after not appearing in any spring training games. These consecutive injuries to key relievers could force the Astros to reshuffle their bullpen depth chart heading into the regular season.