Extra position player Hinch’s plan for now
No call for bullpen arms yet as manager sticks with 7 relievers
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Astros tailored their opening day roster to an unconventional April schedule.
Four off days interspersed in the first 22 days of the regular season made carrying a seven-man bullpen feasible. A perceived spring training competition between
outfielders Tony Kemp and Jake Marisnick never materialized, and both garnered a spot
among Houston’s initial 25-man group.
The next four weeks will test how much longer this structure is sustainable.
Friday’s series opener against the Rangers in Arlington begins a run of 26 games in 27 days, an unforgiving stretch that could require refinement to Houston’s humming roster. Paring the extra position player is the logical option, one A.J. Hinch does not foresee occurring soon.
“We can do it all year. That’s not a problem,” the Astros manager said Tuesday. “It might be tough as the season gets on, but teams do this all the time. It’s not unprecedented. I’m happy carrying the extra position player as long as we can.”
No moves seem imminent. The Astros bullpen will arrive at Globe Life Park well rested, albeit down one member. Righthander Brad Peacock will transition back into a starter’s routine in preparation for his return to the rotation on Tuesday.
Still, Roberto Osuna, Ryan Pressly and Hector Rondon last appeared on Sunday. Will Harris threw just 11 pitches during the two-game series in Oakland.
Though Hinch undeniably enjoys the versatility and depth his bench situation affords, his daily decisions are growing more difficult. Marisnick’s uplifting offensive start, coupled with his perpetually preposterous defense, beckons for more playing time amid an entrenched outfield.
Marisnick has started seven of the team’s 18 games, one fewer than Kemp and Tyler White, both of whom are out of minor league options.
Technically, Marisnick still retains one minor league option. When he reaches his fifth year of service time next month, the 28year-old outfielder can refuse a minor league demotion, underscoring the inflexibility within the group and a possible roster shakeup that could loom later this season.
Of the three Houston bench players competing most for time — Max Stassi and Aledmys Diaz are unincluded — Marisnick is making the best case. His .919 OPS dwarfs that of Kemp (.589)
and White (.647), with all having at least 35 plate appearances.
In the first of Houston’s three wins over the Mariners on this trip, Marisnick went 2-for-5 with a double. The next night, he made two super catches in the left- and right-center field gaps, preserving
a two-run victory.
There was no reward in Oakland. Marisnick did not start either game and saw just three innings as a late-game defensive replacement. Kemp and White received starts that bumped him to the bench.
“Obviously, you come into it, and everyone in here wants to play every day,” Marisnick said Wednesday. “It’s a testament to how good this team is that you have guys playing well and they’re having a hard time getting at-bats.
“It’s not ideal for all of us, but we’re working together, kind of pushing each other and using that to motivate each other.”
Marisnick’s pitch selection is better, and gone are the flaws that plagued his swing during his wretched 2018 season. New hitting coach Alex Cintron worked with Marisnick on his posture, encouraging him to lean forward more in his stance.
Marisnick’s swing is shorter, which allows him to hit higher velocities and have a more clear path to the baseball. In 18 games, he has struck out just eight times. In the same time frame last season, the center fielder had 25 strikeouts.
“Disconnected, my lower body and upper body were working apart, and now everything is working together,” Marisnick said. “I have simple thoughts right now, and they’re repeatable. For me to be able repeat it over the course of the season, as opposed to doing it for a week and then lose it … (will) be big for me.”