Baker continues to sort out bullpen
Coronavirus, injuries during spring training complicating manager’s pitcher decisions
In Houston’s 5-4 Grapefruit League win over the Mets on Monday, manager Dusty Baker used a lineup that might resemble opening day and played most of the starters all nine innings.
“This is how I usually run spring training,” Baker said. “You’ve got to get them a couple nines toward the end of spring and then back them off some. They went nine (Monday) then we have an off-day (Tuesday), and then they’ll go nine again on Wednesday against Washington.”
With his pitching rotation however, Baker took a different approach.
Rather than have an everyday starter begin on the bump, Baker went with Bryan Abreu, a pitcher the Astros hope can find success out of the bullpen like he did as a rookie in 2019.
In relief, Steve Cishek, Brooks Raley, Kent Emanuel and Hector Velazquez took the mound to close things out. It was a chance for Baker to see what depth he has in the bullpen, especially considering some of the pitchers he plans to rely on are still behind.
In an ideal world, Baker would already have his pitching staff mostly set and solidified the bullpen with players such as Pedro Baez, Enoli Paredes and Josh James.
But this isn’t that ideal world. Baez missed 11 days after testing positive for COVID-19 and didn’t return to Houston’s camp until March 17. James, who was already slated to miss the start of the searoles son after getting surgery to repair a labral tear in his left hip in October, suffered a “physical setback” last week.
Andre Scrubb had been making a strong case to start the season in the Astros’ bullpen, but he was shut down for a few days after leaving Houston’s game Friday with right shoulder soreness.
“We’ve got some guys that are behind that you hope you can start the season with,” Baker said. “… How is this going to work out with who we start with, and then how do we work in the guys that we had planned to be with?”
Six of the presumed eight spots in the Astros’ bullpen seem secure, barring injury: Ryan Pressly, Joe Smith, Blake Taylor, Ryne Stanek, Raley and Paredes. Baez will likely not be ready for opening day, leaving a spot open for competition.
Luckily for Baker, Monday’s pitchers proved he still has solid arms to work with.
Abreu had his best outing of the spring, retiring all nine batters he faced and striking out four. Cishek allowed two hits to start the fourth inning but then retired three in a row, continuing his string of strong appearances since allowing back-to-back-to-back home runs to the Nationals on March 1.
If Cishek, a veteran sidearmer, makes the team, he will make $2.25 million plus incentives. The Astros will also need to clear a spot on their 40-man roster. Considering he’s scheduled to pitch multiple innings in his next appearance, the indication is the team plans to carry him on the opening day roster.
“I think apart from the first outing, the spring has been pretty good. I’ve felt really good,” Cishek said. “Arm angle is still up, but not nearly what it was like last year. I feel this spring I’m driving the ball a lot better, even compared to last season. I’m definitely a little bit more amped up being on a new team, so those are all good things.”
Emanuel will start the season finishing off an 80-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, but his spring performance (1.80 ERA, eight strikeouts, one walk) has shown Baker he could also provide valuable depth as a starter or long reliever at some point in 2021.
That’s a good sign for a staff still trying to finalize bullpen plans. Things are up in the air for some pitchers who still have not had final conversations about their
for the year.
People in the organization view Abreu as a legitimate starting pitching prospect, though he could help the current team as a long reliever. Abreu said he still hasn’t gotten any indication about where he’ll start the season and what his role will be, but he’s willing to trust the process.
With less than a week remaining until the Astros’ final game of spring training on Monday, Baker said these last few days still count.
Players have been in and out of the bullpen all spring for various reasons, so anyone that can show he’s got major-league stuff might be on the roster come April 1.
“I’m giving everybody an opportunity and everybody a chance, and that’s all that you can ask for,” Baker said.