Kendall Graveman is done for the year. Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images.
Coming into this season, we knew the bullpen could be a serious issue with Phil Maton, Hector Neris, and Ryne Stanek set to depart in free agency.
Well things just got much worse as the Astros announced on Tuesday that Kendall Graveman will miss the season after having shoulder surgery.
RHP Kendall Graveman underwent surgery on his right shoulder, General Manager Dana Brown announced today. pic.twitter.com/OgKezX9uJN
— Houston Astros (@astros) January 16, 2024
Fading the loss of Hector Neris was going to be a challenge BEFORE receiving this news. At least Graveman had the pedigree to be an effective seventh inning guy, leaving the 8th and 9th innings to Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly.
But with this news, the Astros may have to lean on Rafael Montero (5.08 ERA) more than they would like to this season.
In Graveman's short time with Houston in 2023, he posted a 2.42 ERA in 23 games. Unfortunately, shoulder discomfort kept him off the playoff roster, and now will keep him out for the entire 2024 season. We've likely seen the last of Graveman in an Astros uniform. He'll be a free agent in 2025.
The Astros trading catching prospect and former 1st round pick Korey Lee to the White Sox in exchange for Graveman looked like a reasonable trade at the time. But now, it appears to be a mistake, with Graveman unable to help the club in 2025.
Losing three quality bullpen arms now feels like a bigger pill to swallow with Graveman out of the picture. This now makes four losses to what used to be a strength for Houston.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.