Bullpen could use hard-throwing addition
CLEVELAND — Astros righty Pat Neshek was an exception on the 2014 Cardinals, a team whose bullpen had the highest average four-seam fastball velocity average anywhere, 94.7 mph. That bullpen, like this year’s Astros corps, was one of baseball’s best.
But on the 2015 Astros, Neshek is exactly average: the 90.2 mph he averages on his sinker is the same velocity the Astros bullpen averages collectively on its four-seam fastball, per FanGraphs.
Three teams this year have bullpens that have thrown a fastball at 94 mph or above on average: the Reds, Pirates and Yankees. The Astros, meanwhile, are the only team that hasn’t averaged at least 91 mph.
(That measurement doesn’t include sinker velocity, so Chad Qualls’ 91.5 mph primary pitch is left out, for example. But the overall picture doesn’t change.)
Now, as the trade deadline approaches, the Astros might want to add some heat to the bullpen, even though it’s been so effective overall.
The Astros’ 2.71 ERA entering Tuesday was fourth-best in the majors, and their .197 opponents’ average against was second best, behind only the Royals’ .195.
The idea would be to create a different look and give support to Josh Fields, the one true power arm in the group. The righty averages 94.1 mph on his four-seam fastball, per FanGraphs. Will Harris is next up, at 92 mph.
“I think you can always use another good arm,” general manager Jeff Luhnow said recently. “You look at the arms we have in the bullpen: We’ve got a sinker baller, a slider guy, different looks. Neshek is a funky guy. The one guy we’re probably missing is the flamethrower guy.
“Could we be a better team with a guy like that at the end, in the mix those last few innings? Probably, but those guys are hard to find. Certainly we’re going to keep our eyes open.”
The Astros’ bullpen amounted to a black hole prior to this year, and that’s why the team spent so much this winter to fix it by signing Luke Gregerson, Joe Thatcher and Neshek.
Extra rest coming for young arms?
A straight six-man rotation doesn’t seem likely for the Astros after the AllStar break, but they could buy young pitchers Lance McCullers and Vince Velasquez (upon his expected recall from the minor leagues) extra rest by inserting other starters here and there.
McCullers could make one start on five days’ rest for an example, which is one more than the typical four days’ rest, and make his next start back on normal rest. Manager A.J. Hinch said Wednedsay that McCullers may not pitch in either of the first two series after the break, which would create a very long layoff.
The Astros have more off-days after the All-Star break than any other team, Hinch said.
A potential (and seemingly needed) acquisition via trade could also change the dynamic entirely.
Although Velasquez has thrown well of late, of the two kids, the team seems to have more confidence in McCullers’ to be a consistent starter at the moment.
The Astros don’t plan to option McCullers as they did Velasquez after the latter pitched Tuesday night.
“Never say never, but right now, the plan is not to do that,” Hinch said. “I think we’ve bought some extra time with the two days in Tampa (by pushing McCullers’ next start from Friday to Sunday). We have the All-Star break, we have an off-day after the first series after the break.”
“The other side of Velasquez is trying to protect our ’pen too for the weekend (series with the Rays). We can’t simply carry guys, multiple guys, that are not participating. Once we made the determination he wasn’t going to pitch in the rest of the Cleveland series or the Tampa series that roster spot became very valuable to us.”
If the Astros have a hard cap on innings limits for the pitchers, they’re not divulging them.
“Every player is different,” Hinch said. “We are trying to gauge some parameters, but I think those are very dangerous numbers to start throwing around when a lot of things can change over the next couple months.”
Qualls, Valbuena nearing return
Chad Qualls’ first minor league rehab appearance on the way back from a pinched never in his neck was a perfect inning on just nine pitches Wednesday. He’s going to get some more work on Thursday, manager A.J. Hinch said, adding that wouldn’t preclude the team from activating Qualls on Friday, the first day he’s eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list, if all goes well.
Third baseman Luis Valbuena could be back as soon as Thursday, Hinch said. Valbuena’s sprain in his big left toe had improved to the point he was to participate in a full slate of pregame activities Wednesday at Progressive Field.