With possibly limited resources this offseason, why prioritize another reliever from outside the organization?
Generally, I dislike signing relievers to significant contracts from a club’s perspective. But there are instances when, much like last year’s Astros with Josh Hader, a team identifies a need and downplays the financial consequences to sign the best available player. To be clear, I wasn’t a massive fan of Hader’s signing then, and that remains the case today. But I also don’t hate it, if that makes sense. I recognize Houston’s motivation last winter to address a bullpen that was already besieged with some untimely injuries. Pitfalls exist with Hader, as the 2024 can attest to with his varied performance, yet he made the team better in its competitive cycle for 2024.
One of the more interesting tidbits from Dana Brown’s press conference after the Wild Card series was the possible need for another leverage reliever to help reduce the load on the Big Three of Hader, Ryan Pressly, and Bryan Abreu. I think the sentiment is actually fine, as the Astros relied heavily upon those three and Tayler Scott for most of the season. That workload was why Scott was frankly unplayable for the last two months of the season. It was also why Hector Néris was thrust into such a prominent role once he signed in the summer following his release from the Cubs. Not having an effective Scott didn’t cost the Astros the Wild Card series against the Tigers, but it certainly didn’t help matters.
However, the organization has more glaring, obvious holes to address on this roster other than acquiring another leverage reliever. Third base immediately comes to mind, regardless of whether Alex Bregman returns or Brown finds another one. First base production was a consistent issue, too. An offensively-inclined outfielder or two would go a long way. Another starting pitcher to help absorb some innings.
However, with possibly limited financial resources and a lack of top prospects compared to their peers, there isn’t much flexibility to address these needs. Adding another leverage reliever externally from the organization feels like a low priority. As Joe Sheehan once wrote last offseason, “Relievers, in today’s game, are common talents. You don’t need to buy them, you just need to find them.”
For the Astros, it is possible that they already have someone on the roster who can help bridge the gap between the rotation to Hader, Pressly, and Abreu. Scott, for example, could be in line for a similar role in 2025. Kaleb Ort and Bryan King have had flashes. Forrest Whitley impressed with Sugar Land as a full-time reliever. A reunion with Caleb Ferguson isn’t the worst idea. There’s also Shawn Dubin, Luis Contreras, and Penn Murfee. The organization doesn’t have a lack of options under consideration, including names I didn’t include. Yes, I understand that none of these pitchers have demonstrated the results of a high-leverage reliever. However, sinking more significant resources into a bullpen isn’t the best allocation, whether in a signing or a trade. Instead, I’d like the Astros to concentrate on other areas of need before prioritizing the bullpen.