Pitching loses out in roster cutdown
Extra position player chosen over reliever
HOUSTON — The Astros opted for position player depth over pitching depth by optioning a pair of relievers to Class AAA Sugar Land on Monday to oblige with the roster cutdown from 28 to 26 players.
Righthanders Ronel Blanco and Seth Martinez were sent down to Triple-a. The Astros also optioned rookie infielder J.J. Matijevic, whose call-up was necessitated by Jose Altuve’s injury, back to Sugar Land as the corresponding move for activating Altuve off the 10-day injured list.
MLB is allowing teams to carry a maximum of 14 pitchers until a 13-pitcher limit goes into effect on May 30. The Astros’ decision to not take advantage of that could backfire if an extra-innings game or truncated start puts additional pressure on an already shorthanded bullpen.
“Yeah, it leaves us a little stressed,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “If we have to, we'll do something else. But right now my position players are stressed, too, during this period of time. Everybody's always worried about, 'This part is stressed.' My whole team's stressed.”
The Astros played 16 of their first 22 games on the road. They returned and opened a sevengame homestand with Monday’s game against the Mariners, the 11th game of a stretch of 17 straight days without a scheduled off day. After an off day on May 9, the Astros are scheduled to play 16 consecutive games May 10-25.
To combat the packed schedule, Houston is employing a sixman starting rotation. Cristian Javier, who began the season in the bullpen, made his first start against the Rangers last week and is scheduled to start Tuesday against the Mariners.
Javier’s position in the rotation leaves the Astros with a seven-man bullpen. Baker said Monday he does not know how much longer the six-man rotation will continue.
Houston’s relief corps entered Monday with a 3.05 ERA -- ranking seventh in the majors and fourth in the American League -- and 792⁄3 innings pitched, fewer than all but six major-league teams. The Astros are 7-8 when the bullpen allows a run and 4-3
when it does not.
The good news is that closer Ryan Pressly, on the injured list since April 14, appears nearer to a return as he is scheduled to pitch a one-inning rehab outing Tuesday in Sugar Land.
But the Astros’ infield depth is thin, too. With Matijevic optioned to clear room for Altuve’s return, Aledmys Díaz and Niko Goodrum are the only infielders remaining on Houston’s bench. Neither have been exceptional defensively, and they are hitting a combined 4-for-25.
Besides Altuve, who missed 12 games with a strained hamstring, and Yordan Alvarez, who missed three games in health and safety protocols, none of the Astros’ regular position players has spent time on the injured list this season. That won’t prevent Baker from being cautious.
“You've been on the road 16 games and not only that, you have Jose that you have to watch,” Baker said. “You got (Alex) Bregman that you have to watch. I mean, you have to have all these position guys. You have Michael Brantley that I have to watch. I also have Alvarez that I have to watch because these guys are just not getting into baseball shape and the scheduling isn't really favoring us.”