Bullpen gets Harris back; Hoyt shipped to AAA
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Ahead of their series finale against the Angels, the Astros got back one of their best relievers.
Will Harris, who hadn’t pitched for the Astros since July 5 because of a bone bruise in his pitching shoulder, was activated Sunday before their afternoon game at Angel Stadium. James Hoyt was optioned to Class AAA Fresno after Saturday night’s 7-6 loss to clear a spot on the active roster.
Harris rejoined his teammates on Saturday afternoon after pitching for Class AAA Fresno on Friday night in the second outing of his rehab assignment. His fastball wasn’t as sharp Friday as it had been in his first rehab outing Tuesday with Class AA Corpus Christi, and he allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in his inning of work. He threw 32 pitches, a good test for his shoulder.
“I feel good,” Harris said Sunday after he was activated. “I threw a bunch of pitches the other day, and my arm responded pretty well yesterday and today, so that’s a good sign. I wasn’t planning to throw that many. But the fact that I did and made it through it and felt good yesterday and today, (it’s) all systems go.”
Harris, an All-Star in 2016, had a 2.86 ERA in 342⁄3 innings before his injury. The 32-year-old righthander is arguably the most valuable member of the Astros’ bullpen because of his ability to pitch in a multitude of rules and across multiple innings. He’s also one of the team’s most effective relievers against lefthanded hitters.
“That’s my first stint on the DL in the big leagues, so it was a little bit of a different experience for me,” he said. “But coming to the park today it feels normal. I’m preparing like I normally do for a game. I’m facing a division opponent that I’ve faced many times. I’ve pitched in this stadium many times. So it’s all the same.”
Hoyt will probably rejoin the Astros as soon as he’s eligible. Because a player optioned to the minors must spend at least 10 days there, he could be recalled Sept. 6, when the Astros are in Seattle.