Uncertainty dogs staff beyond top starters
HOUSTON — Justin Verlander and Lance McCullers Jr. are ahead of schedule, evidenced by a pair of scoreless five-inning outings in the Houston Astros’ intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday.
The back end of the Astros’ pitching rotation and the bullpen haven’t seen many live outings during summer workouts, however, leaving a somewhat murky picture just nine days before the season opener against the Seattle Mariners.
Two candidates to fill spots in the back of the rotation are day-today. Brad Peacock has right shoulder inflammation, and Austin Pruitt has right elbow inflammation.
The day-to-day status also applies to Ryan Pressly and Roberto Osuna, the top two members of the bullpen. Pressly was scheduled to pitch in Tuesday’s intrasquad scrimmage, but a blister on his right index finger kept him out. Osuna has yet to face live hitting at summer camp.
Osuna is at least long-tossing at 220-230 feet, which Astros pitching coach Brent Strom says is a good sign. Manager Dusty Baker hopes to see more soon from Osuna, who collected 38 saves in 2019.
“He got here late, and it was very encouraging to see him longtossing today, because he can longtoss better than any guy that we have here,” Baker said. “And to see him running, we don’t want to get him on the mound any sooner than when he’s ready, and I’m hoping within the next couple of days that he’ll have a bullpen session first and then throw to hitters after that.”
Strom figures Pressly and Osuna will fill their familiar eighth- and ninth-inning roles and expects both to be ready for opening day. With starters not expected to go too deep into games immediately, the question is who will bridge the gap in the sixth and seventh innings.
Strom says young arms Bryan Abreu and Cristian Javier might be ready to surprise. Lefty Framber Valdez continues to impress, with Strom noting, “When Mike Trout says he’s got the best stuff on our staff, that means something to me.” Valdez and Javier tossed three combined innings, allowing one run each, in the Astros’ second scrimmage Monday.
Young arms like Enoli Paredes, Jojanse Torres, Luis Garcia, Nivaldo Rodriguez, Brett Conine and Andre Scrubb, who are working out with the group at the University
of Houston, could be in the mix to fill the bullpen’s final few spots.
Overall, Strom says, it’s “just a different phase of Astros pitching right now.”
“I kid my wife, sometimes I feel like the Great Wallendas, the people walking on a tightrope with no net underneath,” Strom said. “My net last year was people like (Wade) Miley and (Will) Harris and (Gerrit) Cole and ( Joe) Smith and these kind of people. I’m a little bit naked underneath, but I feel confident in our guys that we do have.”
No. 2 starter Zack Greinke is nearing a live outing after throwing a 67-pitch bullpen session Monday. Meanwhile, Verlander and McCullers were truly impressive Tuesday. Verlander built on a strong outing in his first intrasquad appearance, striking out six. McCullers struck out two in his five shutout innings.
Top prospect Forrest Whitley, who’s been working on his mechanics in hopes of debuting in 2020, logged an inning of work Tuesday.
“People come in different phases, and I think (with) Whitley, heavy is the head that wears the crown,” Strom said. “He was given so much press early in his career, sometimes that’s difficult to live up to. I think Astro fans are going to be excited to see this guy when they watch him and he’s starting games. … Electric stuff.
“He’s a man on a mission. He wants to prove himself.”