Astros Avoid Major Blow to Their Bullpen With Bryan Abreu’s Delayed Suspension

The pitcher—who has been Houston’s most-used reliever this postseason—had his suspension upheld but won’t have to serve it until 2024.

Astros pitcher Bryan Abreu’s two-game suspension for throwing at Rangers outfielder Adolis García has been upheld by an arbitrator, but will not be served until next season. Rather than missing postseason games—including Monday’s Game 7 of the ALCS—Abreu will instead miss the first two games of 2024.

A decision has been rendered by the arbitrator regarding the appeal for Bryan Abreu’s discipline. His two-game suspension has been upheld, and it will be served during the first two games to begin MLB’s 2024 season. #ALCS #Postseason

— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) October 23, 2023

The league originally handed the suspension down Saturday. Abreu filed an appeal Sunday—shortly before Game 6—and a hearing was held Monday before Game 7.

Abreu has been the Astros’ most effective reliever all season—with the highest strikeout rate (12.5 K/9) and the second-lowest ERA (1.75) :: Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP

Abreu hit García with a pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 5 on Friday. It was García’s first plate appearance since his three-run home run in the sixth, and benches and bullpens cleared in response, though no punches were thrown. “All six of the Major League Umpires deemed Abreu’s pitch to have been intentional,” read MLB’s release on the suspension. “In assessing the matter, Major League Baseball took into account the dangerous nature of the pitch and its potential impact on player safety.” There were no other suspensions from the incident. García was ejected and later fined. Other players fined included Rangers pitcher Matt Bush and Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr.

Houston manager Dusty Baker was also ejected and then fined.

“How do you prove intent?” Baker asked reporters after the game. “That’s what I don’t understand. I haven’t been that mad in a long time. And I don’t usually get mad about nothing.”

Losing Abreu for Game 7 would have been a major blow for the Astros’ bullpen. Abreu has been Houston’s most-used reliever of the postseason so far. (His 7.1 innings are in front of Hector Neris’s 7.0 IP and Ryan Pressly’s 6.0.) A setup man, he typically works the eighth inning. The righty has been the Astros’ most effective reliever all season—with the highest strikeout rate (12.5 K/9) and the second-lowest ERA (1.75). There may not have been anyone in this bullpen more essential to the club’s success.

The Astros’ starter for Game 7 is Cristian Javier, who’s had an up-and-down season, though Houston has won both of his postseason starts. But he does not typically go deep into games: He averaged 5.2 innings per start in the regular season and did not go past that mark in either of his playoff outings. In a do-or-die Game 7, of course, traditional game management rules are out the window. That only makes it more important to have all bullpen arms on deck—Abreu included.