Inside the Astros

These Veterans Are Available To Fill Houston Astros' Pitching Needs

There are some veteran arms still available for the Houston Astros to supplement their staff.
Dylan Sanders|
Sep 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) pitches against
Sep 15, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) pitches against | Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports

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Houston Astros

The Houston Astros currently have five starting pitchers on the injured list, which has played a role in their slow start.

Justin Verlander seems close to coming back, but that won't fix things alone. Framber Valdez recently went on the 15-day IL, the same designation that Jose Uruquidy has. Both Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia are on the 60-day IL.

The emergence of Ronel Blanco has helped things a lot, but the team could still be in search of new arms. They recently announced that top pitching prospect Spencer Arrighetti would be making his Major League debut.

If they still need like they need more help, the market has some veteran arms available as well.

Rich Hill, Johnny Cueto, Vince Velasquez, Matthew Boyd, and even Trevor Bauer, are some of the best top starting arms that are able to be signed right now.

Cueto, 38, could be an interesting option. He didn't have an elite 2023 season, but was still performing at a solid level in 2022, so there might still be some gas left in the tank.

Bauer would certainly be a move that would be met with some push back, but is probably the most talented arm on the list.

If the Astros are happy with their starting options right now, they could still supplement the bullpen with new arms.

Brad Hand, Zach McAllister, Aaron Loup, Jimmy Nelson, Alex Reyes, Matthew Boyd and Brad Boxberger are some of the top relief arms that are still free agents.

Loup, a 36-year-old lefty, didn't have the best numbers last season, but his baseball savant page suggests that he might still have some stuff left. He was still very solid in 2022 and elite in 2021.

Reyes, 29, hasn't been healthy and pitching since 2021, but was playing at an elite level for the St. Louis Cardinals when he was healthy.

It will be interesting to see what Houston decides to do, as right now, general manager Dana Brown didn't express worry, despite so many starters being unavailable with injuries.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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