Houston Astros: Which relievers will the club target at the deadline?
By Kyle Cardoza
Brad Hand
Hand came onto the scene quickly in 2016. Prior to that year, the Padres closer was in Miami figuring himself out.
Once he arrived in San Diego, he focused on becoming a more dependable guy out of the pen. Now he’s one of the most dominant ninth-inning hurlers in the league.
The Padres utilized Hand in 82 games last year, the most appearances by a reliever since 2011. He ranked sixth that year in strikeouts among relievers too.
Hitters still struggle against the lefty, as he ranks in the top 10 in strikeouts per nine innings this year. Moreover, they sport a paltry .156 against him thus far in 2018.
As expected, Hand dominates left-handed hitters. Lefties have just two hits against him this season in 37 at-bats. He struck out 21 of those batters. The Astros fare alright against left-handed hitters, but they have just a few relievers that excel against them.
While Hand is one of the more effective late-inning guys, he’s not perfect.
The 28-year-old has control issues at times. Last season, he showed better command, though players hit better against him. That’s swapped this season, as his walk rate moved back up to 3.6 walks per nine innings – close to his career average.
Unlike Britton, Hand has another two years left on his contract with a team option for 2021. But like the Orioles, the Padres don’t look like a team in contention, though the National League West is anyone’s division right now.
San Diego needs pitching, something Houston can offer. Guys like David Paulino and Rogelio Armenteros could be available, though the Astros would need to include more prospects.