I missed on Scott. Swap him for Montero. I don’t think Sousa is healthy, king is almost certainly one of the 7 best RP but he’ll be at a disadvantage because he has minor league options remaining, but that’s not a big deal because he is very likely to be up early in the season when the inevitable injury happens.
No way King (2.39 ERA in 2024) doesn't get a roster spot ahead of Dubin (4.17 in 2024) and Okert (5.09 in 2024). He's younger and much better than both of those guys. Not just era - the other two also had terrible peripherals.
Dubin has really good stuff, probably better stuff than King. I don’t see any way he passes thru waivers so my guess is if the Astros are faced with a choice they will keep Dubin and send down King, at least to start the season. Okert and King are probably very close, but the same concept applied. If Okert has an opt out in the spring and is pitching well, I think Houston will keep him and send down King, at least to start the season. The reality is that there’s zero chance all those guys stay healthy so it won’t really matter. And it’s not something I’m predicting with any confidence. I agree King is probably the better pitcher but roster management dictates a lot of what goes into deciding who makes it on opening day.
I understand roster management but Okert is a 33yo who is unlikely to have a breakthrough at this point in his career. I think he’s very replaceable. I don’t really want him as my only lefty in the pen other than our closer. King is also a lefty who can fill that role and do a better job of it.
This is going to be an issue for this team. Several of the guys who project to fill out the middle and bottom of the bullpen have no options and that is a huge problem over a 162 game season. Dubin is a great example - he has great stuff and has had very good moments but does not have the consistency to remain on a 26 man roster a full 162 games. And sometimes, even if a marginal guy is consistently good, a team needs a fresh arm and must move on from him regardless. If he doesn't have an option they WILL lose him. Someone will claim him.
They're not pogs, you don't have to collect them all. It's fine if some other team claims a guy like Okert, who has no history for the team and was a minor league free agent we signed a couple months ago. He's a mid-30s guy with a declining fastball and not much else. I think that's what AAA (and AA) are for, to fill in the gaps we have. We've got plenty of pitchers with options in the minors who we should be giving chances to when the need inevitably comes. In the mean time, staff the pen with the best guys you can. Nick Hernandez, Luis Contreras, Jose Fleury, Cesar Gomez, Joey Mancini, Ethan Pecko, Alejandro Torres... it seems like there are a good number of minor league vets and prospects that might contribute in the bullpen in 2025.
Man it really sucks that all 3 of Garcia, Javier, and McCullers are hurt. Best I can tell, the only other team that has anywhere near that amount of SP value expected to miss the start of the season is the Dodgers, and of course they have infinite money that they’ve used to replace them all.
The fact that they are hurt and will miss the start of the season isn't what bothers me. What bothers me is that they, along with Verlander and Urquidy bring injured likely cost the Astros a bye last year, and having to trade away 3 prospects for Kikuchi. ( I'm mot complaining about the deal. I would make the deal again in a heartbeat in that situation- just that the team was in position of need) Loperfido and Bloss would look much better on this 40 man than some that are on here now. If the team decides to move Altuve to LF, Wagner at 2b could be an OK lefty bat to balance the lineup. But - IF ( big if) they can get healthy and other SP avoid injury. This pitching staff will be bonkers in the 2nd half.
It looks like every starter can go on 5+ days rest until 4/16. The #3 would be scheduled to go on 4 or a guy like McCullers or Garcia could return from an IL spot, or a guy like Gusto or Gordon could be brought up.
Gusto seems like he could be this year Ronel Blanco. His velocity isn’t elite, but the fastball looks heavy to me. Good frame, repeatable mechanics.
This is why they need Gusto to come through for the m as a 7th inning guy. I'll bet you that Kung makes the team.
While true, Montero sucks and I hope he doesn't cost them games while Dana is doing what you're describing. It's better to consider Montero a sunk cost at this point IMHO.
After the top 2 or 3 guys, all bullpens are a roll of the dice. There is a world where Scott reverts to pre2024 form and Whitley gets hurt again resulting on this being a miserable 'pen. There is also a world where Scott picks up where he was before he got hurt, Whitley pitches like a 1st rd draft pick, Montero realizes he's pitching for a contract and recreates 2022 then this 'pen blows up and is dominant. Relief pitching is frequently a crapshoot which is why the best ones get paid and rest are out of the league in 4-5 seasons.
Disagree. Ort, Scott, and King were very good last season. Dubin and Whitley are high ceiling/low floor guys. They will find one other good arm from the group of guys in camp if Dubin is hurt. But the main thing is their upper level pitching depth on the farm is really good. They will have a good bullpen unless Abreu or Hader get hurt.
Only time will tell. Let's see how it plays out. If I'm wrong (and hopefully I am) I'll be more then happy to admit it.
It is so hard to tell with bullpens because they can vary a lot from year to year. Losing Pressly should hurt - but he is getting older, he wasn't great last year and there are a number of young arms that could contribute. I think it is a toss up at this point
Possibly - but I have zero expectations from the pen, good or bad. If you were to tell me that the Astros had the best bullpen in baseball at the deadline, I would believe you..... if you told me it will be a bottom 5 pen, I wouldn't be surprised either. Hader and Abreu are the guys you hope are the horses, but there are guys like Whitley that have the potential to be close to unhittable - and it is also possible that Hader just falls apart.
