July 7, 2026 • 8 mins
Astros reliever Nate Pearson is the guest on the Astros Player Show on The A-Team. He reflects on his draft day experience, memorable no-hitters, his recovery from offseason surgery and life in the Astros bullpen.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Astro's reliever Nate Pearson joins us. Now, Nate, we appreciate
the time I'd mentioned to our listeners. We actually have
last night's game on in studio here. You just finished
off your shutout seventh inning and the team is at
the bat in the top of the eighth where they
put four runs on the board. As you've been a
part of this team now since you came off of
the IL, have you been pretty impressed with this group
(00:22):
you're with in the resiliency that they have.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Oh yeah, hey guys, thanks for having me on. But yeah,
this is a great team. You know, the hitters, they
grind out on bats and they don't make it easy,
especially as you saw in that seventh or the top
of the eighth inning there put up four runs and
we're very much back ended, ended up on a little
short but I mean, these guys can hit man and
(00:47):
it's fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Let me take you back a handful of years and
that the Major League Baseball Draft is coming up this weekend.
You're a former first round pick and you had an
interesting path to the draft, going the college route and
then train spring to the junior college route, where you
were sensational did you anticipate your name being called in
the first round as it was back in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, I had a good, good feeling that was going
to be day one, so I kinda I kind of
knew that I was probably my name was probably gonna
get called it and know exactly where ended up happening
in the late first round, but yeah, it was. It
was a crazy day, full of a lot of emotions.
Definitely reminiscing on it every year once the draft comes
around and so everything everything changed and started my pro career,
(01:34):
so it was it was a pretty special day for me.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
I was gonna say, speaking of starting your pro career,
correct me if I'm wrong. You made your big league
debut right there in Washington, right back in twenty twenty.
Any emotions come back from when you made your big
league debut.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's definitely cool to be back here.
You know, it was like six or seven years ago
in twenty twenty, and it was it was during COVID, so.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
It was it was pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I think we were the home team too, because the
days we weren't allowed to play in Toronto, so we
were the home team here in National's Park. And we're
wearing the home white jerseys and I was pitching against
Max shirts or with no one in the stadium. Not
exactly how I drew it up in my in my
mind as like you know, chasing my dream, but it
was cool. It was cool to be able to pitch
(02:19):
against one of the future Hall of Famers and Max
shus Are and go ahead to head with them.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
When you think about getting the start like that in
the career path that you've taken, the years you spent
in Toronto, tripped through Chicago, now on here to Houston,
about where things are? I guess for you?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Are you?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Are you happy with where you are right now and
the path you've taken to get there?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Yeah, every day in the Big league's definitely happy to
be here for sure, you know, happy to be on
be a Houston astro and then giving me an opportunity
to help the bullpen out and help the pitching staff. So,
you know, definitely thankful to be here and cool to
see other two organizations.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
But yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Definitely been quite a journey and very thankful for it.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Not long after you were activated, they came a part
of the major league roster. Following your elbow surgery in
the offseason. Tonight's starter tatsu Emi, along with Steven Okert
and Olive Bersonto, they were part of a no hitter.
I had Ocred on the show not long ago and
asked him this very question if he was aware of
how many pitchers on the team have been a part
(03:26):
of a no hitter yourself included?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Yeah, so, all right, I think a good guess. I
think Christian.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Javier had was part of one. Right, he's been a
part of two of two.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Okay, he's got two, then Ochre, then obviously Emi and Santa.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I'm trying to think anyone else.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
There are still two more that are on the team
right now. Okay, they're both out in the bullpen with it.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Okay, was Hater one of them?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Hater did it with Milwaukee in twenty twenty one, and
in one of the Christian Javier no hitters, Brian Obrew
had a no hit inning back.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
In twenty two. That's in the World Series. Cool. We
got quite a few guys have it under their belt.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
And presumably you'll be teammates at the big league level
shortly with Renel Blanco, who has also thrown a no hitter.
So tell our listeners about your part in the Chicago
Cubs no hitter.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, so it was showed a through really well through
seven no hit innings and pitchcowns getting up there, so
they decided to remove them from the game.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
And then I came in next.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I didn't really know we had a no hitter going
on because we we had to play early in the game.
That was like a iffy whether they're gonna get an
air or hit, And they initially gave it a hit,
but I think as the game went on, they're like,
that can't be the only.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Hit, so the me change it to an error, I guess.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
And as I was running out, I heard the booze
because they're making a pitching change and the fans wanted
to I wanted to show to to keep going. So
I got heard some booze from I guess they're doing
our manager Craig Council for making a change. But thankfully
I threw a clean, uh clean eighth inning, and then
Porter Hodge came in and shut it shut it down
(05:19):
the ninth and it was history from there.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
There being a few like that. You came into the
game and got booed and your team was winning eleven
nothing and throwing a no hitter.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Yeah, yeah, that was kind of crazy.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I knew they weren't necessarily booing me, but just the situation.
But uh, glad, I uh was able to keep it going.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Talking with Nate Pearson, Uh, Nate, I was down there
in West Palm in February when you were the first
day threw and I know they said you were a
little bit behind schedule and all that, but you end up, uh,
you get back on track and you end up making
your your Asthroom Street debut there in May. Normally, when
guys get to the All Star break here, it's you know,
guys are ready for the break. Are you feel a
(06:00):
little bit more fresh? I guess, like a little bit
extra in the tank, having started your season a little
bit later than everybody else.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Uh yeah, I'd definitely say so, But you know, i'd
be lying to say if I wasn't looking forward to
the break, just because you know, still still rehabbing every
day in the first like month and a half you're
going in, you're not getting any off days because there's
no off days in rehab because they're trying to every
day accounts, trying to get back. But Uh, but yeah,
I'm definitely not, you know, tired or fatigued. As you
(06:29):
know a lot of these other guys probably are having
thrown all all season. You know, you missing the first
month and a half, you know, kind of saved saved
up some juice, I guess you can say. But uh, yeah,
I know. I know these guys are looking forward to
the break. It's gonna be good to get recharged and
finish the second half.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
How have you found working with the Astros pitching staff
and then their data analysts and the R and D
people and trying to maximize the arsenal that you have?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Uh? Yeah, I like it. You know, they keep it
pretty simple.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
They they kind of just let you do your thing
and figure out what you do really well and try
to emphasize that and adding to outing. So you got
some smart guys in our corner, and so I think
it's been working pretty well.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Over these last maybe month or so. What have you
marveled more at Jordon at the plate or Josh Hater
in the ninth inning?
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Both those guys are in the league of their own
man watching Jordon just just come up big day after day,
just whenever wee need at home or he just he
just shows It's it's pretty spectacular. And then you get
a Hater and it's just like automatic lockdown ninth inning,
like you just know you should going to get three
quick outs and it's gonna be easy. It's like just
(07:44):
start packing up everything once he goes in. So it's
it's pretty special to be able to watch these guys
and share a locker room with them.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And what's Hater been like for you specifically just in
the innings that go by when when you're hanging out
there with him among everybody else.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Man, he's just a normal guy.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
He likes to, you know, just talk shot and you know,
we just talk about anything.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
You know, He's a normal guy. And then once he
goes to the ninth in and he locks it in.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Man's it's pretty cool to see his mental side of
the game.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Nate.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
We certainly appreciate you joining us here on the Astros
players show forward to more success and hopefully the Astros
finish off these next five games in advance of the
All Star Break and put themselves. I expect you and
the team expects to be in good position to make
a run after the All Star Break.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yes, sir, that's the plan. I appreciate you guys having
me on
Astro's reliever Nate Pearson joins us. Now, Nate, we appreciate
the time I'd mentioned to our listeners. We actually have
last night's game on in studio here. You just finished
off your shutout seventh inning and the team is at
the bat in the top of the eighth where they
put four runs on the board. As you've been a
part of this team now since you came off of
the IL, have you been pretty impressed with this group
(00:22):
you're with in the resiliency that they have.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Oh yeah, hey guys, thanks for having me on. But yeah,
this is a great team. You know, the hitters, they
grind out on bats and they don't make it easy,
especially as you saw in that seventh or the top
of the eighth inning there put up four runs and
we're very much back ended, ended up on a little
short but I mean, these guys can hit man and
(00:47):
it's fun to watch.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Let me take you back a handful of years and
that the Major League Baseball Draft is coming up this weekend.
You're a former first round pick and you had an
interesting path to the draft, going the college route and
then train spring to the junior college route, where you
were sensational did you anticipate your name being called in
the first round as it was back in twenty seventeen.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, I had a good, good feeling that was going
to be day one, so I kinda I kind of
knew that I was probably my name was probably gonna
get called it and know exactly where ended up happening
in the late first round, but yeah, it was. It
was a crazy day, full of a lot of emotions.
Definitely reminiscing on it every year once the draft comes
around and so everything everything changed and started my pro career,
(01:34):
so it was it was a pretty special day for me.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
I was gonna say, speaking of starting your pro career,
correct me if I'm wrong. You made your big league
debut right there in Washington, right back in twenty twenty.
Any emotions come back from when you made your big
league debut.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Yeah, yeah, no, it's definitely cool to be back here.
You know, it was like six or seven years ago
in twenty twenty, and it was it was during COVID, so.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
It was it was pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
I think we were the home team too, because the
days we weren't allowed to play in Toronto, so we
were the home team here in National's Park. And we're
wearing the home white jerseys and I was pitching against
Max shirts or with no one in the stadium. Not
exactly how I drew it up in my in my
mind as like you know, chasing my dream, but it
was cool. It was cool to be able to pitch
(02:19):
against one of the future Hall of Famers and Max
shus Are and go ahead to head with them.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
When you think about getting the start like that in
the career path that you've taken, the years you spent
in Toronto, tripped through Chicago, now on here to Houston,
about where things are? I guess for you?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Are you?
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Are you happy with where you are right now and
the path you've taken to get there?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Yeah, every day in the Big league's definitely happy to
be here for sure, you know, happy to be on
be a Houston astro and then giving me an opportunity
to help the bullpen out and help the pitching staff. So,
you know, definitely thankful to be here and cool to
see other two organizations.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
But yeah, it's.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Definitely been quite a journey and very thankful for it.
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Not long after you were activated, they came a part
of the major league roster. Following your elbow surgery in
the offseason. Tonight's starter tatsu Emi, along with Steven Okert
and Olive Bersonto, they were part of a no hitter.
I had Ocred on the show not long ago and
asked him this very question if he was aware of
how many pitchers on the team have been a part
(03:26):
of a no hitter yourself included?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Yeah, so, all right, I think a good guess. I
think Christian.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Javier had was part of one. Right, he's been a
part of two of two.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Okay, he's got two, then Ochre, then obviously Emi and Santa.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
I'm trying to think anyone else.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
There are still two more that are on the team
right now. Okay, they're both out in the bullpen with it.
Speaker 4 (03:59):
Okay, was Hater one of them?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Hater did it with Milwaukee in twenty twenty one, and
in one of the Christian Javier no hitters, Brian Obrew
had a no hit inning back.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
In twenty two. That's in the World Series. Cool. We
got quite a few guys have it under their belt.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
And presumably you'll be teammates at the big league level
shortly with Renel Blanco, who has also thrown a no hitter.
So tell our listeners about your part in the Chicago
Cubs no hitter.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, so it was showed a through really well through
seven no hit innings and pitchcowns getting up there, so
they decided to remove them from the game.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
And then I came in next.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
I didn't really know we had a no hitter going
on because we we had to play early in the game.
That was like a iffy whether they're gonna get an
air or hit, And they initially gave it a hit,
but I think as the game went on, they're like,
that can't be the only.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Hit, so the me change it to an error, I guess.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
And as I was running out, I heard the booze
because they're making a pitching change and the fans wanted
to I wanted to show to to keep going. So
I got heard some booze from I guess they're doing
our manager Craig Council for making a change. But thankfully
I threw a clean, uh clean eighth inning, and then
Porter Hodge came in and shut it shut it down
(05:19):
the ninth and it was history from there.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
There being a few like that. You came into the
game and got booed and your team was winning eleven
nothing and throwing a no hitter.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Yeah, yeah, that was kind of crazy.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I knew they weren't necessarily booing me, but just the situation.
But uh, glad, I uh was able to keep it going.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
Talking with Nate Pearson, Uh, Nate, I was down there
in West Palm in February when you were the first
day threw and I know they said you were a
little bit behind schedule and all that, but you end up, uh,
you get back on track and you end up making
your your Asthroom Street debut there in May. Normally, when
guys get to the All Star break here, it's you know,
guys are ready for the break. Are you feel a
(06:00):
little bit more fresh? I guess, like a little bit
extra in the tank, having started your season a little
bit later than everybody else.
Speaker 2 (06:07):
Uh yeah, I'd definitely say so, But you know, i'd
be lying to say if I wasn't looking forward to
the break, just because you know, still still rehabbing every
day in the first like month and a half you're
going in, you're not getting any off days because there's
no off days in rehab because they're trying to every
day accounts, trying to get back. But Uh, but yeah,
I'm definitely not, you know, tired or fatigued. As you
(06:29):
know a lot of these other guys probably are having
thrown all all season. You know, you missing the first
month and a half, you know, kind of saved saved
up some juice, I guess you can say. But uh, yeah,
I know. I know these guys are looking forward to
the break. It's gonna be good to get recharged and
finish the second half.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
How have you found working with the Astros pitching staff
and then their data analysts and the R and D
people and trying to maximize the arsenal that you have?
Speaker 4 (06:57):
Uh? Yeah, I like it. You know, they keep it
pretty simple.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
You know.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
They they kind of just let you do your thing
and figure out what you do really well and try
to emphasize that and adding to outing. So you got
some smart guys in our corner, and so I think
it's been working pretty well.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Over these last maybe month or so. What have you
marveled more at Jordon at the plate or Josh Hater
in the ninth inning?
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Both those guys are in the league of their own
man watching Jordon just just come up big day after day,
just whenever wee need at home or he just he
just shows It's it's pretty spectacular. And then you get
a Hater and it's just like automatic lockdown ninth inning,
like you just know you should going to get three
quick outs and it's gonna be easy. It's like just
(07:44):
start packing up everything once he goes in. So it's
it's pretty special to be able to watch these guys
and share a locker room with them.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And what's Hater been like for you specifically just in
the innings that go by when when you're hanging out
there with him among everybody else.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Man, he's just a normal guy.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
He likes to, you know, just talk shot and you know,
we just talk about anything.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
You know, He's a normal guy. And then once he
goes to the ninth in and he locks it in.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Man's it's pretty cool to see his mental side of
the game.
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Nate.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
We certainly appreciate you joining us here on the Astros
players show forward to more success and hopefully the Astros
finish off these next five games in advance of the
All Star Break and put themselves. I expect you and
the team expects to be in good position to make
a run after the All Star Break.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yes, sir, that's the plan. I appreciate you guys having
me on
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