The Houston Astros have the best bullpen in the MLB, but they’ve had issues with closers. Ken Giles was too erratic, resulting in a trade to Toronto. But the club has so many reliable options, why even designate just one player to pitch the ninth?
The difference between a solid playoff team and a potential World Series championship club could be a strong bullpen. That’s the case for the Houston Astros, who possess the best relief crew in the game.
And surely the group helped Houston claim its first World Series title in franchise history last season. But it’s a different case for the Astros, as they boast a medley of effective pitchers.
All play different roles, and yet all are dependable in essentially every game scenario. No one knows that more than manager A.J. Hinch, the maestro behind the magic.
The skipper’s rash decisions throughout last October and November paid off. It’s worked well thus far in 2018.
Nevertheless, the media doesn’t praise Houston for its multifaceted collection of relievers. Most analysts will probably argue that the New York Yankees or Arizona Diamondbacks sport a better corps.
Based on this year’s stats, either of the three groups have strong arguments. Yet, neither of the other teams have at least four pitchers with two or more saves.
Baseball fans may say that suggests inconsistency in the ninth inning. However, it means something different for the Astros, who have several late-inning options.
Hence why Hinch has been haphazard with his choices late in games. He used starters to close games during the playoffs last year. Ken Giles passed the baton to Hector Rondon earlier this year. Then, suddenly Osuna earned the title despite pitching fewer than 10 innings with the team.
Essentially, the squad has someone labeled as the closer. But the definition for Hinch isn’t the same as it is for other managers. The Astros coach approaches every situation on a game-by-game basis.
And that’s why Houston doesn’t need labels. They just need to utilize relievers correctly in key situations. Though the club has had rough patches during this month, it still performs better than every other team in the league.
Nevertheless, the Astros couldn’t be as dominant without the help of its relief core, which consists of a handful of hurlers.