MAKING A PITCH
John Granato: Controversy aside, here is a look at how the Astros bullpen will shape up
Aug 2, 2018, 8:03 am
Colin McHugh is one of the sure things in the pen. Collin McHugh/Facebook
I certainly don’t want to minimize the repercussions of the Roberto Osuna trade . We have had two straight days of non-stop calls on both sides of the issue. It’s the most calls we’ve had on any subject in quite a while. This article will not deal with the moral dilemma of trading for someone facing domestic abuse charges. The bottom line is that love it or hate it Osuna is an Astro. He’s a premier talent and now he’s Houston’s premier talent.
Make no mistake, it’s a heat check for the Astros. They’re finding out how much leeway they have with the fanbase. I’m sure they’re getting plenty of complaints but they’ll still fill the ballpark. I’m a huge fan of the team and not happy about the Osuna trade. I don’t want to root for a guy who’s facing a charge of assault against a woman but I’m not going to stop rooting for the team.
I loved last year’s Astros, maybe my favorite team ever. There was a youthful enthusiasm they brought every night that made sports fun again and unlike our other teams they played their best on the biggest stages and in the biggest moments.
Everyone did except the bullpen. It was an atrocity and despite the numbers this year that have the Astros bullpen as statistically one of baseball’s best, it needed a facelift, especially at the back end. The numbers against the better teams don’t lie.
They had to make a move. Maybe it’s not the move you wanted but it’s a move that had to be made. From a purely baseball standpoint it’s not a home run, it’s a grand slam. To get a 23-year old top-of-the-line closer with years left under your control for your 10th prospect and two guys that you didn’t want anyway is unheard of. If he didn’t have that baggage he wouldn’t have been on the trade market but he does and he’s here now.
Just think, this October you may not have to have your starters finish every big game. You may actually have a closer who can CLOSE and with the addition of Ryan Pressly you may be set up for another September and October run that could end in another parade.
Here’s what we’re looking as we head down the stretch and into the playoffs.
Sure things right now:
Hector Rondon
Collin McHugh
Tony Sipp
Yes that’s right, Tony Sipp. AJ is starting to put him into more high pressure situations and for good reason. He hasn’t given up an earned run in his last 10 outings and just one since May 7. That can be a deceiving stat for a reliever but it’s not for Sipp. He’s pitching well and deserves a shot to pitch when the game is on the line.
Rondon and McHugh are obviously on this list because of their numbers. McHugh should have been an all-star and Rondon has been solid if not great in the closer’s role. He’ll more than likely move into the setup role with Osuna’s arrival and a combination of Pressly, McHugh, Rondon and Osuna in the 7th, 8th and 9th will be formidable against any lineup.
Note: AJ Hinch has often said that he has no such slotted roles in his bullpen but that may have been more because he couldn’t count on anyone to fill those slots. With this new iteration of bullpen you may be seeing more slotted roles going forward.
Unknowns:
Roberto Osuna
Ryan Pressly
While we might not be excited about bringing Osuna into this locker room because of his issue, you have to be excited about his talent. Problem is he hasn’t pitched since May 6. That’s a long time ago. How long will it take for his command to return? Pinpoint accuracy is so important to every pitcher so it may take a while for him to get back to elite closer status.
With Pressly it’ll be important for AJ to get to know him quickly. How often can he use him? Is he comfortable coming in with runners on or does he pitch best starting an inning? What types of hitters does he pitch best against? He’s got a couple months to do it but there will be an adjustment period on both sides.
Where do we fit in?
Brad Peacock
Chris Devenski
Will Harris
Joe Smith
Smith is more than likely out. He hasn’t been here long enough to build up any good will and his performance hasn’t warranted any faith in his ability to perform on the big stage. No offense Joe. It’s a numbers thing.
But he’s not the only one that’ll have to go. In the postseason you’ll have four starters. Either McCullers or Morton will move to the pen depending on who’s hot. That’ll leave just six spots for true relievers. Right now you’d pick Rondon, McHugh, Sipp, Osuna, Pressly and…
Take your choice:
Brad Peacock?
Chris Devenski?
Will Harris?
They all have a special place in AJ’s heart. They all better pick up their game in these last two months if they want to have a place on the mound come October.
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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