Houston Astros: Southpaw options for next year’s bullpen
The Houston Astros lacked left-handed relievers so much that they dealt for Francisco Liriano mid-season. Now, with Liriano a free agent, the team is back in the same situation. However, they have several options this offseason to fill in the holes.
When the Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch submitted his World Series roster, it looked unique.
Among the several reliable arms he included in the list, just two were left-handed. One was cherished, beard-sporting starter Dallas Keuchel, who got the nod in Game 1 against Clayton Kershaw. The other was Francisco Liriano, the team’s lone southpaw reliever in the postseason.
The Astros’ pen was efficient for the past two seasons, ranking sixth and 10th in ERA in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In 2017, it was amateurish, sitting at 18th in ERA despite holding opponents to just a .234 average.
Of the team’s current roster, which includes several minor league players, just three relievers are left-handed, and one – Liriano – is a free agent. Tony Sipp is the only other pertinent one, as appeared in 46 games and was the team’s only lefty option before Liriano joined the club.
Clearly, having a scant amount of left-handed relievers didn’t hurt too much, as Houston claimed its first ever World Series title. Yet, manager AJ Hinch surely wants to have as many invaluable options as possible in his pitching arsenal.
The Astros’ best relievers scuffled in the postseason, as I’ve mentioned before. However, the team still possesses some notable guys including Chris Devenski, Ken Giles and Brad Peacock. And with a starting rotation that posted the sixth-best ERA in the league, Hinch may not need a deep bullpen.
Still, the three players that compiled more than 10 holds in 2017 are all right-handed. With a variety of serviceable left-handed pitchers in the market this offseason, Houston’s front office should look to better its bullpen.
Here are just a few guys that would improve it.
Jake McGee
Greg Holland will get a much-deserved shot of winning the Comeback Player of the Year award, but McGee should be mentioned in that category as well.
While Holland earned the second-most saves in the National League, McGee set up a good amount of them. Along with Mike Dunn and Adam Ottavino, the left-hander was nearly automatic in his setup role.
He was also arguably the Rockies’ best reliever, although Chris Rusin and Holland can also deserve that title. Nevertheless, after a rocky season last year in Colorado, McGee was much more consistent and a favorite option for manager Bud Black.
Until 2016, McGee followed an even-year trend, flourishing in 2012 and 2014. But in 2011 and 2013, he owned horrid numbers, including a 4.00-plus ERA both seasons. He rebounded well in 2015 before suffering his worst campaign last year. In 45.2 innings, he compiled a 4.73 ERA while accruing a subpar 38 strikeouts.
Then he regained his rhythm this past season, managing a solid 3.61 ERA and 20 holds. Although his strikeout rate didn’t match what it used to be during his Rays’ career, he still bumped it up above average with 9.10 K/9.
Like many Colorado pitchers, McGee was lights out on the road. But he’s still had issues becoming accustomed to the Rocky Mountain air. He allowed all of his four home runs at home, and hitters fared much better against him at Coors Field than elsewhere. His batting average against split was .275 at home and .176 on the road.
Most importantly, McGee proved that he can confound opposing hitters in the American League. And considering that he’s not as elite as he once was, Houston’s general manager Jeff Lehnow might be able to score a discount.
Tony Watson
Last week, I noted Watson as an option for the ninth inning should Giles be relieved of his duties – no pun intended.
However, no matter what role he is granted, Watson can succeed in an Astros jersey. Of all the available southpaw relievers, he likely has a No. 1 stamped on his back. And with good reason, because he has been relatively consistent throughout his entire career.
Among the league’s best firemen (an old term for closers), Watson doesn’t have the heat most pitchers bring in the late innings of any game. His career strikeout rate is rather substandard at 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings. Compare that to Ken Giles, who in four seasons has boasted a K/9 rate of at least 11.0 each season.
Watson’s promotion to closer following Mark Melancon’s departure in Pittsburgh seemed fitting, as both are similar pitchers. Neither have overpowering stuff, but both still prevail in most ninth-inning situations. Yet, Los Angeles deprived Watson of his former title once he got sent to Southern California. But Kenley Jansen is the best closer in the game, so that was fine with the lefty.
He was still effective for the Dodgers in the new role.
Manager Dave Roberts utilized Watson often, calling to him 24 times since bringing him in. In 20 innings, the left-hander allowed just six runs and yielded six walks compared to 18 strikeouts. He also pitched well in the postseason, allowing no runs in the NCLS or the World Series.
Unfortunately, Watson could earn a ring during his short stint with the boys in blue. So if you can’t beat them (the Astros), join them?
Glen Perkins
The southpaw nearly had his career stripped away thanks to a serious shoulder injury. But after pitching in just 10 games across the past two seasons, the three-time All-Star still wants a chance to get back into shape on the bump.
If the Astros are feeling risky, they might give the lefty a look, especially because few other teams may pursue him. While the injury scare might make teams more bearish than bullish, the returns could outweigh the price he’s asking for at this point.
Perkins surely has the pedigree of a trusted reliever. Since 2011, the worst ERA Perkins posted in a given season was 3.65, and he was an All-Star in that year. Although the Twins weren’t the most formidable squad throughout the past seven seasons, he’s been a solid option in the later innings.
And for three years, he was the veteran closer – the No. 1 option.
During his tenure as closer, he garnered more than 30 saves in each season. Furthermore, while his strikeout rate diminished over the years, his effectiveness did not. He notched an 11.1 K/9 in 2013, but only reached 9.6 and 8.5 in the category for the next two years.
However, at 34 years old, Perkins can become a critical contestant in next year’s Comeback Player of the Year conversation. But he has to get signed first.
If Luhnow is trying to save some dough and is willing to press his luck on a guy who’s proven himself in the past, the former Twins stopper could be the man. At the very least, he could be more serviceable than Sipp, who owned an atrocious 5.89 ERA last year in 37 1/3 innings – yikes.
Zach Duke
There are a significant amount of players – relievers especially – that are consistent yet never obtain publicity for their success. Duke is arguably one of them, at least since 2014.
The former starter was unproductive in Pittsburgh for many years before making his way elsewhere. Although he does have an All-Star Game appearance, he never posted a winning record as a starting pitcher.
But he made a name for himself as a reliever since his early experiences in Washington, which were bad. This year was the first time since 2013 that Duke put up an ERA higher than 3.50.
Of course, he was one of the many pitchers that underwent Tommy John surgery in 2016. His recovery went just fine, and it was special that he even returned to the mound this season. Despite posting mediocre numbers this year, he was outstanding in each of the previous three years.
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Prior to his surgery, he owned a 2.36 ERA across 61 innings for both the White Sox and the Cardinals. But he had some issues, as he yielded several walks on the season, and surrendered a multitude of hits that swelled his WHIP.
Duke wasn’t known for electrifying stuff as a starter. Before 2014, his career-high K/9 rate was an insignificant 6.6. Then he became a punch-out pitcher following that, as he compiled a K/9 rate of 11.4, 9.8 and 10.0 in the next three seasons, respectively.
That wasn’t the case this season, but his sample size was pretty minute at 18 1/3 innings. Also, despite notching fewer strikeouts, his WHIP was better this year.
Duke is one of the older free agents on the market. Yet he is arguably one of the more reliable relievers on the market due to his recent success.
Next: Postseason shed light on Astros' shoddy bullpen
His resume may not look as glamorous as some of the other lefty relievers, but he’s still a valuable option. For the Astros, he could potentially be a key addition for the next season.