Houston Astros: Collin McHugh scheduled for pitching showcase next week
Former Houston Astros pitcher Collin McHugh will throw a showcase for teams on Jan. 16 in Atlanta.
It’s been two years since Collin McHugh has last thrown a pitch in the MLB. However, the 33-year-old free agent is fully healthy now and drawing interest from several teams. According to The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan, McHugh is scheduled to throw a showcase for interested teams on Jan. 16 in Atlanta, Ga.
Free agent pitcher Collin McHugh is scheduled to throw a showcase for teams on Jan. 16 in Atlanta. McHugh, who didn't pitch in 2020, recently got a clean bill of health and has garnered interest from multiple teams.
— Jake Kaplan (@jakemkaplan) January 7, 2021
McHugh spent the past six seasons with the Houston Astros, operating as both a starting pitcher and reliever. He enjoyed a run of success from 2015-18, including the highlight season of his career in 2018. The 33-year-old pitched 58 games in relief, notching a 1.99 ERA and 0.912 WHIP in 72.1 innings.
The following year, McHugh dealt with an elbow injury before opting to have surgery. Prior to the 2020 campaign, he signed with the Boston Red Sox as a free agent. McHugh never ended up pitching for Boston, as he opted out of the 60-game shortened campaign to continue rehabbing his injury.
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There are a number of teams that would benefit from adding depth to its bullpen, especially a veteran arm like McHugh. Of course, every team in the MLB is in continual search of adding bullpen depth, but some more than others.
It’s possible to see McHugh have a reunion back with his former team, the Houston Astros. Houston entered the offseason with two major priorities: the outfield and its bullpen. While the Astros have yet to re-sign any of its three starting outfielders from last season, there have been a number of reports about Houston expressing interest in big-name relievers. These relievers included both Liam Hendriks and Roberto Osuna. If Houston is more interested in shoring up its outfield rotation, then perhaps this presents an opportunity to sign a cheaper relief arm like McHugh.
Another potential landing spot for McHugh is his other most recent team, the Red Sox. Boston suffered a dismal mini-rebuild last season amidst a slur of injury problems. After a 24-36 campaign and last-place finish in the AL East, the Red Sox are looking to improve on all fronts. The most concerning piece, however, was the starting rotation.
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While McHugh enjoyed more success in the bullpen, he has multiple years of starting pitching experience. This could be an interesting value-add for Boston.