MAKING MOVES
The Astros get better by signing quality reliever Smith
Dec 14, 2017, 7:14 am
Joe Smith should be an upgrade over Luke Gregerson. Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images
The MLB winter meetings are in full swing, and yesterday brought some good news for Astros fans. The team went out and did exactly what they needed to do, they got better in the bullpen. They signed free agent Joe Smith to a two-year deal.
The 33 year-old right-hander has bounced around a bit in the majors but he's been consistently good (not great, but very good) for his career. In 10 seasons he has a career 2.97 era, a solid 1.185 WHIP, is striking out 7.9 batters per 9 innings. Last year between Toronto and Cleveland he put up a 3.33 era and a 1.037 whip. He's a side-arm pitcher that can be down right filthy versus right handed batters.
But let's be clear, Joe Smith isn't a closer. There was a year where he picked up 15 saves, but that's not his role, and never really has been. He's a quality arm that provides depth to a bullpen that badly needed it. He will most likely be the 7th or 8th inning guy. He's also know as a very good high leverage arm, so you might see him a bit earlier if there is more on the line in game situations..
So are the Astros really better because of this?
You bet. When you think about it in terms of arms in the pen, the Astros swapped out Luke Gregerson (signed with the Cardinals) for Smith. It's crazy (and exciting) to think that the team that won the World Series last year just got a little bit better.
Gunnar Henderson and Luis Vázquez homered and Trevor Rogers worked seven strong innings as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
Rogers (7-2) allowed five hits and three walks and struck out nine. The 27-year-old left-hander moved past two Hall of Famers with his 1.40 ERA through the first 13 starts of a season. Hoyt Wilhelm set the club record with a 1.50 ERA in 1959, and was followed by Jim Palmer’s 1.55 ERA in 1975.Keegan Akin struck out three in 1 2/3 scoreless innings for his third save.
Henderson hit his 16th homer, a solo shot off Spencer Arrighetti (1-5) in the first, to give Baltimore the lead. Ryan Mountcastle had an RBI single in the sixth and Vázquez made it 3-1 in the seventh with his first big league homer.
Arrighetti gave up two runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. John Rooney relieved Arrighetti in his debut and allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings. Craig Kimbrel struck out two in a scoreless inning in his first game with the Astros.
Jeremy Peña had an RBI single in the third and Victor Caratini drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth for Houston.
Key moment
Akin entered with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh and allowed only the sac fly to preserve the lead.
Key stat
Arrighetti retired 15 batters in a row following his four-hit first inning.
Up next
Tomoyuki Sugano (10-5, 3.97) gets the start for the Orioles in a home series opener against the Red Sox on Monday.
The Astros turn to Hunter Brown (10-5, 2.36) to lead off a series against the Rockies on Tuesday.