September 2, 2025 • 11 mins
Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti joins Wex and AC to talk about his return to the starting lineup, his injury rehab, life in the clubhouse, his relationship with Justin Verlander and more!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Just get right to it here halfway through our number one,
you know what time it is here on the A
team Adam Wexler and Adam Clanton means it's time for
our Astros guest on a Tuesday after the long holiday
weekend coming from the ballpark, Spencer Arraghetti Astros starter joining
us here. Spencer, you got Adam and Adam as I
just mentioned, and I think I have to start with this.
(00:22):
Considering how the last six games went, could you tell me,
other than your own, who is your favorite starting pitcher
over the last six days among your teammates, because it
was just a wonderfully fabulous one pitcher to the next
performance every day from Frober to start this last six
game stretch to what we saw yesterday from Luis.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, man, I don't think I could pick a favor.
It's just awesome watching everybody go out there and pick
the rocks up the town and just give the boys
a chance to win. Obviously, that's what we're trying to
do every time we go out there. But it's beautiful
when you see one through six go out there and
get it done night after night.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Is it a little little bit different, especially from your
perspective when you can go out there and do what
you've done considering how many months away it's been. And
then similarly with what Hobby did with his six innings
of brilliance, and then again saying for.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Luis, Yeah, man, I mean all credit to those two guys.
I felt like it was an eternity waiting the three
months I had to wait to pick up a baseball
again and get back to what I love. But I
mean taking a year, two years off from doing it
and then being able to come back and have success
right away, Like that's just again, all credit to them.
They're fantastic competitors, They're great teammates, they're great athletes, and
(01:34):
I'm just I'm really stoked to them.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
In a weird and kind of awful way. Did it
help as you were going through your injury that so
many of your teammates were also hurt?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, I was definitely less lonely and Westcotton. Usually that's
not where you want to be in the middle of
the year, but it was nice I having a group
of starting pitchers down there kind of all doing the
same thing. France was there, Garcia, Javier, I mean, all
of us were kind of just like, you know, doing
it together. So that definitely does make it easier. Obviously,
we all want to be on the field all the time,
but when it comes down to that kind of situation,
(02:08):
it's nice to have company.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
And you're rattling off names that it's just like, those
are front end guys. Those are guys that the Astros
have leaned heavily upon at one point or another in
the recent seasons to win a big amount of games.
Do you feel like, I mean, it's kind of easy
to say this with the calendar flipping of September, but
do you feel like you guys are finally getting healthy
at the right time and everybody's kind of going to
(02:29):
come together and gel at least as far as the
pitching side of things.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, man, I mean, I firmly believe. And again this
is only my second time around, in the second time
around with the big league club, but I think it's
the hottest team, not the best team necessarily on paper
that matters, and I think that we're definitely on the
pitching side trending in the right direction. I'm really excited
to see where that takes us.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
You are very, very very into everything that goes into pitching,
the mechanics of it for yourself, the pitch usage, shape
of pitches, execution of pitches. Over the year plus you've
been a major leaguer, We've had a chance to talk
to you about it quite a bit, as have most
of the reporters covering the team. Do you think that's
an asset for you with how involved and how much
(03:11):
I guess mental work you put into all that.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, I like to think so. Obviously a lot of
the stuff that you just listed off, other than than
execution's kind of like a hypothetical. But I think that
having that background and having that like thought process going
into the games or in between games, I think that's
really helped me be able to make smaller adjustments. And
then obviously once you go out there, it's about whatever
(03:36):
you can execute that day. And I feel like I've
had enough time now appear to have a little bit
of both, like.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Have the.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Hypothetical talks with Bill Murphy and with Josh Miller and
with some of the other pitchers about like, oh, this
might be good or that might be great, and then
being able to take it out there and go see
what really works in the arena. It's kind of like
a nice blend between the two. Now, I think that
that's been the reason why I've been able to have
success up here, because when I first got called up,
obviously I was pretty much all theory and haven't done
(04:06):
it yet, and the results weren't good, and obviously I
had to kind of take a look in the mirror
and see what was on and see what was working
what wasn't. Then it kind of just came down to
me throwing the pitch that I believe in in the
moments where I needed the most. And there's no computer
program that can tell you that. Unfortunately, It's kind of
just a gut feeling and whatever you're going to execute,
whatever you're going to get to a good spot and
(04:27):
a good count. That's really what matters the most.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Talk with Spenceraghetti here on Sports Talk seven to ninety
on the eight team. You just mentioned when I first
got called up, Well, when you first got called up,
Carlos Carrea was a Minnesota twin. When you returned from
the IL this year, Carlos Correa was your third basement.
How you like that?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
He's the man? I mean, obviously, the defense speaks for itself.
That game in Baltimore, I think he saved me quite
a few runs. Had a lot of hot shots at
him over there at the corner. And I mean, he's
just he's incredible as a person, leader, teammate, all of it.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
He named it.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I mean, he's a man. I grew up watching him
play for the Astros and having him back in the
clubhouse with us has been something of a dream come
true for me. So it's really awesome.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You can say he's got a total hose.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
It's fine. He does he does. Yeah, Man, he lets
it rip at me. When I'm on the mound to
a lit'll stand back there on the cut in the
corner of the infield, and he pointed me, so I
know it's coming to me in the first baseman when
we're throwing the ball around after I throw my last
warm up pitch and he throws a strike. Man, it's
probably better heater than mine.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Some days, are you saying that's a little bit different
than your brief time with Esac over there, and right
to your period with Alex over there?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Man, Alex allows it. You knows that he's not trying
to but it. He's not trying to throw it hard,
but he throws it accurate, and he throws it in
good time. Alex is A is a great third baseman too,
each as well.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
The diplomatic spencer Arraghetti here on Sports Talk seven ninety
You know not to you know, first things first, obviously
the Yankees are in town, but you're slated to pitch
in the opener Texas later on this week, and you
look at the standings right now, and they're closer to
Seattle than Seattle is close to you. Guys, I've got
(06:09):
to think that somebody that's as competitive as you likes
the fact that this is a race this late in
the season. But I got to tell you there's a
lot of Astros fans that are they're used to it
being more comfortable this time of year. Do you like
the fact that everything is so bunched together this late
in the year.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I wouldn't say I like it. Obviously. Last year was
a little bit of a different situation. We knew come
to September. We were just trying to play our best
baseball and being a great spot going into the playoffs. Obviously,
right now, like you said, it's a tight race, and
I do love it. I love the fact that I
can go out there and it means a lot. It
feels like it's the playoff game before the playoffs start. Yeah,
(06:45):
I think that that's gonna be awesome for me. That's
what pitch against Texas felt like last year too. There
was a few games here at minute made where it's
like sold out crowd Friday night division rival in town,
and I love that feeling. Man, there's really nothing in
the world that beats it.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Is There something to be said for your body and
your arm being a touch fresher at this point in
the season, just simply because you missed the time in
the months off most definitely.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
And I feel like I kind of got like the
spring training starts and the other stuff out of the way.
I'm starting to feel like I'm catching my rhythm a
little bit and I feel great. I'm bouncing back, great,
so ready to go every time it's my turn to
take the mound. And obviously that's the luxury and not
everybody has at this stage in the air. I mean,
Hunter's at one hundred and sixty innings. He's still weathering
it like a champ, just because that's the diesel fuel
(07:32):
in him, you know. But I definitely feel lucky to
be a little bit fresher than most when it matters
the most.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
What do you do on days that the diesel pitches?
How do you go about your day? And how much
attention are you paying to him and his emotions which
are always outward and awesome on the mound, I just.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Sit back and enjoy the show man. You always know
what you're going to get when he's out there, and
it's nothing but fuel and compete.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
I've always wondered this, and since you're starting pitcher, I'll
ask you this question because you don't seem like the type,
but I'm going to get to the bottom of it.
Are you one of those guys that doesn't want to
talk to anybody on your day that you start? Are
you approachable? And do you think that's still a big
thing in the majors? Is that kind of tapered off?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I think it's like a case to case basis for
the most part. I mean myself, I'm probably somewhere in
the middle. Like there's a couple hours when I show
up where I'm cool to talk with everybody, hang out, messing,
excuse me, mess around a little bit, but then once
it gets closer to game time, I'm pretty locked in
I got the headphones on, I'm in the in the
media room doing my scouting report, making sure I know
(08:35):
everybody like the back of my hand, and then once
the time to go out there, I'm pretty to myself.
I think that's still a big thing for a lot
of guys as well. I mean, I'm sure that you've
heard this before, but I watched JV last year, and
if somebody looked at him the wrong way on it
start day, you hear about it the next day, not
that day, because he's not going to break his focus.
But I mean, I think there's something to be said
(08:57):
about that. Hunter's probably a little bit more like like
JV than he is like me. But I definitely i'd,
like I said, I'm somewhere, probably right in the middle. Again,
there's a time and place for focus as well.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
What kind of words would they use.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Trying to get me in trouble?
Speaker 1 (09:16):
I think we know the answer, probably rhetorical. We can't
ask you what's coming out of those headphones on game day?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
For you?
Speaker 1 (09:22):
What are we listening to?
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh, recently a lot of like two thousands and nineties rock.
I really I've kind of always liked that, kind of
grew up on it because of my dad, Rage against
the machine, malice and Chains, you know that type of vibe.
But I'll do rap music sometimes too. If I'm really
feeling myself.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Trying to think of, like who's your favorite alternative group
from the late nineties early two thousands, then.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I think Alison Chains probably really gets me going. Is
there a particular track, Brewster?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
I knew you were going to say that.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, you seem like a rooster every start, like it's
gone to battle, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Love that, love to hear that. Well, Spencer, we really
appreciate the time, good luck the rest of the way.
It's so good to see you back out there doing
your thing and obviously rounding into form real quick. On
that your last start. It was kind of touching go
that first inning, but it looked like you bounced back
after that, and you looked like the guy that we
were used to seeing before the injury. Is that how
you felt that win or what was your assessment your
(10:25):
last start?
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Yeah, I felt like myself again. I feel like I
had I mean, the one in Miami, it was like
the first one back in the big leagues. Nerves were
a little bit higher. Than normal. I feel like I
made some dumb pitches and some dumb counts, but the
other day I feel like I really got back to
what made me successful last year in the second half,
and I'm sorry to feel like myself every day.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
So well as I can speak for all three of us,
we all hate the Rangers, So go ahead and do
your thing on Friday, and we're looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Awesome, man, thank you. I Will the At on Sports
Talk Sep. Ninety
Just get right to it here halfway through our number one,
you know what time it is here on the A
team Adam Wexler and Adam Clanton means it's time for
our Astros guest on a Tuesday after the long holiday
weekend coming from the ballpark, Spencer Arraghetti Astros starter joining
us here. Spencer, you got Adam and Adam as I
just mentioned, and I think I have to start with this.
(00:22):
Considering how the last six games went, could you tell me,
other than your own, who is your favorite starting pitcher
over the last six days among your teammates, because it
was just a wonderfully fabulous one pitcher to the next
performance every day from Frober to start this last six
game stretch to what we saw yesterday from Luis.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, man, I don't think I could pick a favor.
It's just awesome watching everybody go out there and pick
the rocks up the town and just give the boys
a chance to win. Obviously, that's what we're trying to
do every time we go out there. But it's beautiful
when you see one through six go out there and
get it done night after night.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Is it a little little bit different, especially from your
perspective when you can go out there and do what
you've done considering how many months away it's been. And
then similarly with what Hobby did with his six innings
of brilliance, and then again saying for.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Luis, Yeah, man, I mean all credit to those two guys.
I felt like it was an eternity waiting the three
months I had to wait to pick up a baseball
again and get back to what I love. But I
mean taking a year, two years off from doing it
and then being able to come back and have success
right away, Like that's just again, all credit to them.
They're fantastic competitors, They're great teammates, they're great athletes, and
(01:34):
I'm just I'm really stoked to them.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
In a weird and kind of awful way. Did it
help as you were going through your injury that so
many of your teammates were also hurt?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, I was definitely less lonely and Westcotton. Usually that's
not where you want to be in the middle of
the year, but it was nice I having a group
of starting pitchers down there kind of all doing the
same thing. France was there, Garcia, Javier, I mean, all
of us were kind of just like, you know, doing
it together. So that definitely does make it easier. Obviously,
we all want to be on the field all the time,
but when it comes down to that kind of situation,
(02:08):
it's nice to have company.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
And you're rattling off names that it's just like, those
are front end guys. Those are guys that the Astros
have leaned heavily upon at one point or another in
the recent seasons to win a big amount of games.
Do you feel like, I mean, it's kind of easy
to say this with the calendar flipping of September, but
do you feel like you guys are finally getting healthy
at the right time and everybody's kind of going to
(02:29):
come together and gel at least as far as the
pitching side of things.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Yeah, man, I mean, I firmly believe. And again this
is only my second time around, in the second time
around with the big league club, but I think it's
the hottest team, not the best team necessarily on paper
that matters, and I think that we're definitely on the
pitching side trending in the right direction. I'm really excited
to see where that takes us.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
You are very, very very into everything that goes into pitching,
the mechanics of it for yourself, the pitch usage, shape
of pitches, execution of pitches. Over the year plus you've
been a major leaguer, We've had a chance to talk
to you about it quite a bit, as have most
of the reporters covering the team. Do you think that's
an asset for you with how involved and how much
(03:11):
I guess mental work you put into all that.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, I like to think so. Obviously a lot of
the stuff that you just listed off, other than than
execution's kind of like a hypothetical. But I think that
having that background and having that like thought process going
into the games or in between games, I think that's
really helped me be able to make smaller adjustments. And
then obviously once you go out there, it's about whatever
(03:36):
you can execute that day. And I feel like I've
had enough time now appear to have a little bit
of both, like.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Have the.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Hypothetical talks with Bill Murphy and with Josh Miller and
with some of the other pitchers about like, oh, this
might be good or that might be great, and then
being able to take it out there and go see
what really works in the arena. It's kind of like
a nice blend between the two. Now, I think that
that's been the reason why I've been able to have
success up here, because when I first got called up,
obviously I was pretty much all theory and haven't done
(04:06):
it yet, and the results weren't good, and obviously I
had to kind of take a look in the mirror
and see what was on and see what was working
what wasn't. Then it kind of just came down to
me throwing the pitch that I believe in in the
moments where I needed the most. And there's no computer
program that can tell you that. Unfortunately, It's kind of
just a gut feeling and whatever you're going to execute,
whatever you're going to get to a good spot and
(04:27):
a good count. That's really what matters the most.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Talk with Spenceraghetti here on Sports Talk seven to ninety
on the eight team. You just mentioned when I first
got called up, Well, when you first got called up,
Carlos Carrea was a Minnesota twin. When you returned from
the IL this year, Carlos Correa was your third basement.
How you like that?
Speaker 2 (04:45):
He's the man? I mean, obviously, the defense speaks for itself.
That game in Baltimore, I think he saved me quite
a few runs. Had a lot of hot shots at
him over there at the corner. And I mean, he's
just he's incredible as a person, leader, teammate, all of it.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
He named it.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
I mean, he's a man. I grew up watching him
play for the Astros and having him back in the
clubhouse with us has been something of a dream come
true for me. So it's really awesome.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
You can say he's got a total hose.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
It's fine. He does he does. Yeah, Man, he lets
it rip at me. When I'm on the mound to
a lit'll stand back there on the cut in the
corner of the infield, and he pointed me, so I
know it's coming to me in the first baseman when
we're throwing the ball around after I throw my last
warm up pitch and he throws a strike. Man, it's
probably better heater than mine.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Some days, are you saying that's a little bit different
than your brief time with Esac over there, and right
to your period with Alex over there?
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Man, Alex allows it. You knows that he's not trying
to but it. He's not trying to throw it hard,
but he throws it accurate, and he throws it in
good time. Alex is A is a great third baseman too,
each as well.
Speaker 3 (05:49):
The diplomatic spencer Arraghetti here on Sports Talk seven ninety
You know not to you know, first things first, obviously
the Yankees are in town, but you're slated to pitch
in the opener Texas later on this week, and you
look at the standings right now, and they're closer to
Seattle than Seattle is close to you. Guys, I've got
(06:09):
to think that somebody that's as competitive as you likes
the fact that this is a race this late in
the season. But I got to tell you there's a
lot of Astros fans that are they're used to it
being more comfortable this time of year. Do you like
the fact that everything is so bunched together this late
in the year.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I wouldn't say I like it. Obviously. Last year was
a little bit of a different situation. We knew come
to September. We were just trying to play our best
baseball and being a great spot going into the playoffs. Obviously,
right now, like you said, it's a tight race, and
I do love it. I love the fact that I
can go out there and it means a lot. It
feels like it's the playoff game before the playoffs start. Yeah,
(06:45):
I think that that's gonna be awesome for me. That's
what pitch against Texas felt like last year too. There
was a few games here at minute made where it's
like sold out crowd Friday night division rival in town,
and I love that feeling. Man, there's really nothing in
the world that beats it.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Is There something to be said for your body and
your arm being a touch fresher at this point in
the season, just simply because you missed the time in
the months off most definitely.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
And I feel like I kind of got like the
spring training starts and the other stuff out of the way.
I'm starting to feel like I'm catching my rhythm a
little bit and I feel great. I'm bouncing back, great,
so ready to go every time it's my turn to
take the mound. And obviously that's the luxury and not
everybody has at this stage in the air. I mean,
Hunter's at one hundred and sixty innings. He's still weathering
it like a champ, just because that's the diesel fuel
(07:32):
in him, you know. But I definitely feel lucky to
be a little bit fresher than most when it matters
the most.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
What do you do on days that the diesel pitches?
How do you go about your day? And how much
attention are you paying to him and his emotions which
are always outward and awesome on the mound, I just.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Sit back and enjoy the show man. You always know
what you're going to get when he's out there, and
it's nothing but fuel and compete.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
I've always wondered this, and since you're starting pitcher, I'll
ask you this question because you don't seem like the type,
but I'm going to get to the bottom of it.
Are you one of those guys that doesn't want to
talk to anybody on your day that you start? Are
you approachable? And do you think that's still a big
thing in the majors? Is that kind of tapered off?
Speaker 2 (08:14):
I think it's like a case to case basis for
the most part. I mean myself, I'm probably somewhere in
the middle. Like there's a couple hours when I show
up where I'm cool to talk with everybody, hang out, messing,
excuse me, mess around a little bit, but then once
it gets closer to game time, I'm pretty locked in
I got the headphones on, I'm in the in the
media room doing my scouting report, making sure I know
(08:35):
everybody like the back of my hand, and then once
the time to go out there, I'm pretty to myself.
I think that's still a big thing for a lot
of guys as well. I mean, I'm sure that you've
heard this before, but I watched JV last year, and
if somebody looked at him the wrong way on it
start day, you hear about it the next day, not
that day, because he's not going to break his focus.
But I mean, I think there's something to be said
(08:57):
about that. Hunter's probably a little bit more like like
JV than he is like me. But I definitely i'd,
like I said, I'm somewhere, probably right in the middle. Again,
there's a time and place for focus as well.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
What kind of words would they use.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Trying to get me in trouble?
Speaker 1 (09:16):
I think we know the answer, probably rhetorical. We can't
ask you what's coming out of those headphones on game day?
Speaker 2 (09:21):
For you?
Speaker 1 (09:22):
What are we listening to?
Speaker 2 (09:24):
Oh, recently a lot of like two thousands and nineties rock.
I really I've kind of always liked that, kind of
grew up on it because of my dad, Rage against
the machine, malice and Chains, you know that type of vibe.
But I'll do rap music sometimes too. If I'm really
feeling myself.
Speaker 3 (09:44):
Trying to think of, like who's your favorite alternative group
from the late nineties early two thousands, then.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
I think Alison Chains probably really gets me going. Is
there a particular track, Brewster?
Speaker 3 (09:57):
I knew you were going to say that.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, you seem like a rooster every start, like it's
gone to battle, you know.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Love that, love to hear that. Well, Spencer, we really
appreciate the time, good luck the rest of the way.
It's so good to see you back out there doing
your thing and obviously rounding into form real quick. On
that your last start. It was kind of touching go
that first inning, but it looked like you bounced back
after that, and you looked like the guy that we
were used to seeing before the injury. Is that how
you felt that win or what was your assessment your
(10:25):
last start?
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Yeah, I felt like myself again. I feel like I
had I mean, the one in Miami, it was like
the first one back in the big leagues. Nerves were
a little bit higher. Than normal. I feel like I
made some dumb pitches and some dumb counts, but the
other day I feel like I really got back to
what made me successful last year in the second half,
and I'm sorry to feel like myself every day.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
So well as I can speak for all three of us,
we all hate the Rangers, So go ahead and do
your thing on Friday, and we're looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Awesome, man, thank you. I Will the At on Sports
Talk Sep. Ninety
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Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal
Gregg Rosenthal and a rotating crew of elite NFL Media co-hosts, including Patrick Claybon, Colleen Wolfe, Steve Wyche, Nick Shook and Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic get you caught up daily on all the NFL news and analysis you need to be smarter and funnier than your friends.