MLB free agency: What’s shaking with Brad Hand?
By Phil Watson
Houston Astros
It is not a surprise to see the Houston Astros have at least kicked the tires on Brad Hand, even after signing a pair of relievers already in MLB free agency by adding Pedro Baez and Ryne Stanek.
Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported Friday that general manager James Click may not yet be done with shoring up the bullpen. McTaggart also reported the Astros have has talks with Hand, along with relievers Alex Colome and Trevor Rosenthal.
Houston entered last season with Roberto Osuna set to fill the slot at the back of the bullpen after leading the American League with 38 saves in 2019. But Osuna made only four appearances before he was shut down in early August. The Astros waived Osuna in late October rather than go to third-year arbitration with the right-hander, according to MLB.com’s David Adler.
With Osuna out of the mix, the Astros turned to Ryan Pressly to close out games and he wound up with 12 saves in 16 opportunities and posting a 3.43 ERA and 1.333 WHIP in 21.0 innings over 23 appearances. Pressly struck out 29 and walked seven, one intentionally.
But in 2019, Pressly was an All-Star setup man, posting a 2.32 ERA, 0.902 WHIP and 72 strikeouts in 54.1 innings while walking only 12 batters. Given Houston’s pursuit of closers, it’s clear the braintrust of the Astros would prefer to get Pressly back into the role where he’s had the most success.
Hand will be 31 in March, but he has flourished since being converted to a full-time bullpen role after he was acquired by the Padres on waivers from the Miami Marlins in April 2016.
Being able to bump the rest of the bullpen rotation back a chair could help the Astros, who figure to regress offensively this season with the departures of all three starting outfielders — George Springer, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick.