Houston Astros: Is Hector Rondon a trustworthy ninth-inning option?

Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch gave Hector Rondon a chance in the closing role. And the reliever ran away with the job. But with several closers still on the market, is Rondon the best option?

The Houston Astros made several statements when they traded for reliever Ryan Pressly on Friday. First, through the move, the front office claimed it doesn’t need a top-tier reliever to bolster the bullpen.

Moreover, the move proves that Houston trusts Hector Rondon as the primary closer – for now.

Manager A.J. Hinch won’t shy away from using his starting rotation in later innings. Last year, Lance McCullers and Charlie Morton were more effective closers than Ken Giles and Chris Devenski.

Nevertheless, they won’t be available in regular season games barring any extra-inning matchups. Of course, that’s why the Astros need a dependable arm to shut opponents down.

Compared to the Yankees and Red Sox, they don’t have an intimidating fireballer in the ninth. That’s not what Rondon brings to the table, though he offers reliability.

And while he struggled Saturday against the Rangers, his numbers still look solid overall.

Before Saturday’s blunder, Rondon owned a minuscule 1.49 ERA. Now he owns a 2.41 ERA, though he still owns a stellar strikeout rate – a career-high.

One of the major issues that plagued the former Cubs closer is his vulnerability to the long ball. Hence, that was his downfall against Texas on Saturday, which led to a four-run barrage.

Also, Rondon is 9-12 in save opportunities, which is a lower percentage than Ken Giles. Granted, opponents strung together runs agains the fireballer too frequently.

Rondon’s leash might have gotten a bit shorter after his previous outing, but the Astros still see him as a viable option. But Houston still has a chance to make a last-minute move for a lockdown reliever.

Who are the current options?

Although some of the more premier names are off the trade market, there are still some late-inning options. Most of them reside in the National League from teams that are way out of the playoff race.

The Astros could look into a reunion with Bud Norris, who donned a Houston jersey in the midst of the rebuilding era. While Norris’ reputation took a slight dip after a recent article in The Athletic, he’s still an effective reliever.

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The 33-year-old veteran has a strong strikeout-to-walk ratio, racking up 54 whiffs compared to just eight free passes. Norris also eclipsed 20 saves already as the Cardinals’ main closer.

While he can be erratic at times, Norris still boasts dependable numbers. However, Rondon’s stats may be superior at this point.

Two younger candidates are Raised Iglesias and Kyle Barraclough, but both would likely require a large return. Both have team-friendly contracts, which would be an additional advantage for the Astros.

Iglesias sports a sub-1.00 WHIP and has 20 saves for a depleted Reds squad. The biggest issue is that the hard-thrower lacks control at times. Houston would also need to split ways with multiple prospects for him.

Barraclough is arguably the best option on the market because of his sheer potential. The right-hander has yet to post an ERA above 4.00. Additionally, he has averaged more than 10 strikeouts per nine innings each of his four seasons.

If the Astros target another reliever, either of the three could be viable. But considering the package needed to acquire them, Houston’s front office might stick with what it has.