Minor could aid major deficiency
With lefty relief a shortcoming, free agent can go beyond an inning, be fallback closer
ORLANDO, Fla. — Contrary to the perceived desires of a subset of their fan base, the Astros won’t blow up their bullpen as a reaction to the group’s precarious October, when arms are their most tired and relied upon to absorb the most innings.
But in an offseason in which they have few deficiencies to confront, the World Series champions will seek to add at least one impact arm to their most maligned position group.
Naturally, relievers who pitch from the left side figure to be prioritized. Tony Sipp, still owed $6 million on the three-year, $18 million deal he signed before the 2016 season, has proved ineffective. Francisco Liriano, a model of inconsistency in his brief tenure with the Astros, has departed for free agency.
Fortunately for the Astros, there have been worse winters to seek a lefthander. The top two free-agent relievers, All-Stars Wade Davis and Greg Holland, pitch from the right side, but the next tier in this offseason’s class features several lefties.
Among them, Mike Minor appears as close to an ideal fit as exists for the Astros. A former Atlanta Braves starter who after injuries rejuvenated his career in the Kansas City Royals’ bullpen, he would represent a weapon against lefthanded hitters and also insurance at closer if Ken Giles can’t recover from his postseason failures.
Minor, a former seventh overall draft pick who turns 30 next month, had a 2.55 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 772⁄3 innings for the Royals last season. Harnessing a mid-90s fastball and a power slider, he held lefties to a minuscule .163 batting average and a .423 on-base plus slugging percentage.
The Royals relied on Minor to log more than three outs in 20 of his 65 outings. In September, he was nearly flawless in the six save opportunities they afforded him. His average fastball velocity of 94 mph last year signified a 3 mph increase from his days as a starter. Though his new role diminishes the need for a more extensive repertoire, he still throws the occasional changeup or knuckle-curve.
Injury history
Minor could command a three-year deal on the open market, though teams could use his injury history as a means to try to drive down the years or price. The Vanderbilt product made 110 starts for the Braves from 2010 to 2014 before a shoulder injury stalled his career.
Surgery to repair a torn labrum cost Minor the 2015 season. The Royals, who previously helped restore the careers of pitchers Ryan Madson and Kris Medlen, signed Minor the following spring for two years and $7.25 million. They hoped he would join their rotation at some point in 2016. Shoulder fatigue during the rehab process prevented it. He began 2017 as a reliever.
“I would say he was a little apprehensive at first, but the more he thought about it, he was willing to try it,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said Tuesday at Orlando’s Waldorf Astoria, site of the GM meetings, which wrap up Wednesday. “He had missed a couple of years, so he was probably searching a little bit himself. And so he was willing to take the lead from another party, and that was us. But he quickly adjusted to the bullpen, and he was exceptional.” Minor, who formed a battery with Brian McCann while in Atlanta and shares an agent with the veteran Astros catcher, declined a $10 million mutual option for 2018 this month to become a free agent. He headlines a class of freeagent lefthanded relievers that also includes Jake McGee and Tony Watson.
McGee, 31, is coming off a bounce-back second season for the Colorado Rockies in which he had a 3.61 ERA in 571⁄3 innings, including 262⁄3 at the hitter’s haven of Coors Field. Away from Coors, he had a 2.64 ERA last year. The former Tampa Bay Ray has reverse splits, meaning he’s actually more effective against righties than lefties.
Watson, 32, finished last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after a July 31 trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates, his longtime team. He had a 3.38 ERA in 662⁄3 innings overall but a 2.70 ERA in 20 innings after the trade. In seven postseason innings for the Dodgers, he allowed two earned runs.
Brian Duensing, Zach Duke, Fernando Abad and Jorge De La Rosa are among the other lefthanded bullpen options on the free-agent market. The Astros could also look to address the need through a trade.
Organizational depth
The Astros came into the offseason with only two lefthanded relievers on their 40-man roster: Sipp, who has pitched so poorly the last two seasons he wasn’t included on any of the 2017 team’s three postseason rosters, and Reymin Guduan, who is erratic and likely to serve as depth in Class AAA.
Cionel Perez, a 21-yearold Cuban the Astros will soon add to the 40-man roster to protect him from next month’s Rule 5 draft, and soon-to-turn 24-yearold Dominican Framber Valdez are other internal lefthanded relief candidates who could be called upon at some point next season.