Pitcher Francis Martes gets his first call to majors.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — This probably wasn’t the scenario the Astros envisioned for when they called up Francis Martes for the first time.
But with their bullpen taxed and their healthy options in Class AAA scarce, baseball’s best team summoned its top pitching prospect Thursday to serve as a fresh relief arm. He’s also an insurance policy in case Joe Musgrove (shoulder inflammation) isn’t ready to start Monday against the Texas Rangers.
The 21-year-old Martes joined the Astros at Kauffman Stadium ahead of Thursday night’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals. His promotion is indicative not of his readiness but of the organization’s lack of starting pitching depth, which has put a heavy burden on the bullpen in recent games.
Martes, whom Baseball America regards as baseball’s 17th-best prospect, has struggled with control in his first exposure to Class AAA. The stocky Dominican righthander has a 5.29 ERA in eight starts spanning 321⁄3 innings in which he issued an alarming 28 walks. He last pitched June 1, having been scratched from his scheduled start with Fresno on Wednesday ahead of his promotion.
“I didn’t believe it at the beginning because I was going to pitch (in Class AAA on Wednesday),” he said through an interpreter. “I didn’t think I was going to get called up until all of the players came up to me and said congratulations.”
The Astros view Martes as a starter long term, though some in the industry profile him as a late-inning reliever. As a starter, he complements a fastball that sits in the mid-90s with a hard slider and a still-developing changeup. His power repertoire and high ceiling make him one of the organization’s most valuable trade chips among its prospects.
The Astros used five relievers to get through their 7-5 loss Wednesday after Dallas Keuchel was scratched and on Thursday needed a pitcher who could give them multiple innings if warranted. Coming into Thursday, the Astros had gone 11 consecutive games without a starter completing seven innings.
If Martes gets into a game, he will be the second-youngest pitcher in the majors this season after 20-year-old Julio Urias of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Martes doesn’t turn 22 until Nov. 24.
The Astros acquired Martes on trade-deadline day of 2014 from the Miami Marlins along with Jake Marisnick, Colin Moran and the draft pick that turned into Daz Cameron in exchange for Jarred Cosart, Kike Hernandez and Austin Wates. Then 18, Martes was pitching in the rookielevel Gulf Coast League at the time of the deal.
Martes was issued uniform No. 58 upon his arrival Thursday.
Odds and ends
Marwin Gonzalez likely will return to the Astros’ lineup in Friday night’s opener against the Los Angeles Angels. He hasn’t played since suffering a left hand contusion Monday but has been available off the bench. … Ahead of Monday’s start of the MLB Draft, the Astros on Thursday held their annual local predraft workout at Minute Maid Park. They have five picks in the top 91, their first being the 15th choice.