Why frustrations about Houston Astros bullpen should include some critical perspective, context
REAL TALK
23 September 2024
Will Houston's bullpen live up to expectations?Composite Getty Image.
After a dreadful start to the season, here the Astros are once again, looking to clinch the AL West and head back to the postseason.
Astros GM Dana Brown stood by this team when things were at their bleakest, adamantly saying this team was too talented to be “sellers” at the trade deadline.
The club is on an impressive run, and you don't have to look any further than the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers to remind yourself that sustaining success like the Astros is very difficult to do.
The Rangers have already been eliminated from playoff contention, silencing the assertions that the torch had been passed from the Astros to the Rangers. Not so fast, Ranger fan.
Bullpen concerns
If the Astros are going to put together another deep playoff run, they're going to need the bullpen to pitch better. Josh Hader coughed up the lead on Sunday, allowing four runs and only recording one out. Which led to the Angels avoiding the four-game sweep.
It hasn't been all bad with Hader this year, but his ERA has jumped from 1.28 in 2023 to 3.67 in 2024. It's interesting that the Astros felt like they needed a more dominant closer after Ryan Pressly finished with a 3.58 ERA in 2023. Only to have Hader post a higher ERA than Pressly did last year and this year.
A matter of perspective
It's not like the Astros are below average in the pen, they're just not elite like they were in 2022. And who knows, Hader could bounce back with a spectacular season in 2025. He's just not living up to the highest salary in MLB for a closer.
It's important to keep in mind, several of the teams the Astros could face in the postseason won't have a bullpen as strong as Houston's. So as bad as it seems after Hader's poor performance on Sunday, the 'Stros bullpen is better than most.
Don't miss the video above as we discuss how prospective plays a big role in fairly assessing Houston's bullpen, and much more!
*Catch our weekly Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo discuss varied Astros topics. The first post for the week generally goes up Monday afternoon (second part released Tuesday) via The SportsMap HOU YouTube channel or listen to episodes in their entirety at Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
The Houston Astros made a surprising move this week when they signed former Rockies second baseman Brendan Rogers to a one-year deal.
With Jose Altuve taking reps in left field, this signing really got us thinking about what Rogers' role will be should he make the team.
Did the Astros sign him, hoping he would take over as the regular second baseman with Altuve moving to left? Or did they bring him on as depth which would allow Mauricio Dubon to be used all over the field instead of locked in at second base? Only time will tell.
Dropping Altuve?
Based on the Astros willingness to shake things up with Altuve, could we see another adjustment involving him?
Former Astro Josh Reddick recently talked about the ideal batting order on the Crush City Territory podcast. Reddick made the case that Altuve would be better suited hitting second.
Which is all well and good, but if they do pull the trigger and bump him down in the lineup one spot, who leads off?
That's where things get tricky. Two candidates that could make some sense are Jeremy Pena and Chas McCormick. Both have the speed to steal second base, but their on base percentages from last season don't instill any confidence.
However, if we go back to just 2023, Jeremy Pena's OBP of .324 isn't way off from the .350 Altuve posted in 2024. Pena also walked 43 times that season, just a few behind the 47 Altuve posted in 2024.
McCormick has a similar problem. If he can produce numbers similar to his 2023 season, you would have something. Which speaks to a bigger theme of this season for Houston.
Will Pena and McCormick continue to regress, or can they turn things around? For McCormick, if he's not hitting, it doesn't make a lot of sense playing him in right field considering his lack of arm strength. Ben Gamel is ready and waiting should they need him. And he hits left-handed.
Why does Jake Meyers get a pass?
Meyers is in a different situation entirely. Nobody expects him to hit, but they do need his speed covering the outfield to make the Altuve experiment worth trying.
Call to the bullpen
With Ryan Pressly gone, the Astros have some open spots in the 'pen. Forrest Whitley and Rafael Montero are going to get some opportunities this season, like it or not.
But will Whitley ever live up to his first round expectations, and can Montero regain his form from the 2022 season? The answer is probably no for both players, but they're going to get a shot, just based on the makeup of the roster.
Caleb Ort and Shawn Dubin are already dealing with injuries, so it will likely be all hands on deck for the Astros.
Finally, what do we think of the overall depth of this club, with so many big time contributors now playing for other teams?
Don't miss the video above as we break it all down!
The countdown to Opening Day is on. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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