Here's a breakdown of all of Bill O'Brien's moves as a GM from a totally different perspective. This is definitely worth watching. Happy April Fools' Day!
It's no secret the Astros have dealt with their fair share of injuries and lackluster performances at this early stage in the season. The hitting has been a little inconsistent, but overall has been good, posting a Top-3 team OPS.
The pitching, however, is the club's biggest area of concern. They currently have the second-worst team ERA in baseball. That should get corrected soon with Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez working their way back in the rotation. But in the meantime, the Astros need some fresh arms in the bullpen.
According to multiple reports, the Astros are calling up former 2016 first round pick, Forrest Whitley.
The Astros needed a fresh arm, Forrest Whitley is on the 40-man roster and their many other optionable relievers in Triple-A haven’t been down long enough to be recalled without putting someone on the IL.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 16, 2024
It's been a long time coming for Whitley, who is yet to make his big league debut with the club. Whitley (age 26) has dealt with countless injuries since being drafted by Houston.
He pitched 30 innings for Triple-A Sugar Land in 2023 recording a 5.70 ERA. This spring, Whitley got injured once again. He's only pitched 3 innings for Sugar Land in 2024, allowing 4 runs with an ERA of 12.00.
Hopefully, Whitley finds success with his high-powered fastball and finally shows the potential that got him drafted in the first round almost eight years ago.