Scouting Report: Jimmy Lambert

Summary

Peter Lambert has emerged as a surprise success story with the Houston Astros in 2026 after being called up from Triple-A on April 17. The 29-year-old right-hander, who had a 6.28 ERA over four seasons with the Colorado Rockies and had been away from MLB for nearly two years, has delivered quality performances for a struggling Astros team. Through five starts, Lambert owns a 2.76 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 29 strikeouts and 12 walks across 29.1 innings. He has recorded two quality starts against first-place teams (Guardians and Dodgers), including a win where he outdueled Shohei Ohtani, allowing just six hits and zero earned runs over 13 innings in those two starts. Most recently, Lambert lasted seven innings against the Mariners on May 11, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts, though he took the loss due to lack of offensive support. He is tied for the team lead in quality starts with Lance McCullers Jr. and Spencer Arrighetti.