5th rotation spot is main spring battle
Perceived ceiling favors Musgrove, but Fiers brings more experience
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Nearly seven weeks separate the Astros from the regular season, ample time for their biggest roster crunch to sort itself out well before a decision is required.
But as of the formal start of spring training Wednesday, they have one more starting pitcher than they have rotation spots. And in a year when winnable jobs are scarce, Joe Musgrove versus Mike Fiers for the fifth starter’s role is the team’s most notable competition.
Coming into camp, the Astros have three starters, if healthy, locked into the rotation in Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers and Collin McHugh, and a fourth in Charlie Morton, who is penciled in but must solidify his spot this spring.
Chris Devenski will begin the Grapefruit League schedule as a starter, but come April he probably will be ticketed for the relief role in which he dominated last season. Michael Feliz, too, will all but certainly land back in the bullpen, and though touted prospects Francis Martes and David Paulino could contribute this season, neither is considered a legitimate option for the opening-day rotation.
Based on his perceived ceiling alone, Musgrove would seem the obvious favorite for the final starting spot. The Astros view the 24-year-old righthander as a fixture in their rotation for years to come, and some around the game project the 6-5 control artist as a workhorse No. 3-type starter in the long term.
But in the short term, the 31-year-old Fiers has going for him more experience and the fact he cannot be optioned to the minor leagues.
If Fiers becomes the odd man out, the only other place for him on the Astros is as a long reliever. Musgrove, meanwhile, has minor league options available.
The health factor
“If we’re fully healthy, it will make for an interesting decision at the end of camp for the fourth and fifth spot, to be honest,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday. “We don’t have a dilemma yet because I don’t know health and I don’t know performance. But I know we have the capable bodies if we can just keep them on the field.”
Musgrove offers upside yet lacks in big league track record. He debuted with the Astros last August, amounting to essentially a league-average pitcher in his first 62 major league innings.
Among his 10 starts, Musgrove logged seven innings and allowed two or fewer runs three times. He also allowed five or more runs in fewer than six innings three times. In all, he had a 4.06 ERA with a .758 OPS against.
Competition embraced
This year marks only the second major league spring training for Musgrove. He got into a few Grapefruit League games last March before he was reassigned to the minor league side to get ready for the Class AA season.
He will stay much longer this time.
“I like the competitive atmosphere. It kind of pushes us all,” Musgrove said. “Everyone shows up in what looks like to be good shape and ready to go. It’s going to be fun and competitive.
“But you try not to worry about the uncontrollables. I just control what I can control, and that’s going out and being ready every day.”
Save for one relief appearance, Fiers spent the entire 2016 season in the Astros’ rotation despite a 4.48 ERA, a significant dropoff from the season before (3.59). The righthander logged only 1682⁄3 innings over 31 appearances (30 starts) last year and had an .801 OPS against.
Fiers said he knows he needs to be better, “which in the end will make the team better.”
“I feel like my chances are what I make of them,” he said. “I’ve got to come in, and I’ve got to be healthy, and I’ve got to pitch well and show them that I’m one of the five starters to start the season.”
The next 10 days of workouts and 30 days of games will dictate how the Astros’ opening-day rotation shakes out. In the end, Hinch’s decision should be clear.
Presuming it’s a decision at all.