Astros Potential Free Agent Targets to Boost Bullpen

The Houston Astros have had one of the best bullpens in the MLB for the past six seasons. They've recorded the lowest ERA in the league twice during 2018 and 2022 and also finished with the second lowest in 2019.

Only a couple seasons during this span have seen the bullpen's ERA dip out of the top-10, causing the front office to upgrade.

This season they currently rank ninth.

The Astros will have two of their relievers hitting free agency at the end of the year and another who has an $8.5 million club option.

It's likely that general manager Dana Brown will look at available arms on the open market to try and bring in some new life to a bullpen that hasn't look the same in comparison to their performance last season.

The most prized reliever on the market will be Josh Hader, but he's going to command a monster contract.

He should be a top priority of the franchise, but with many of their star players also coming up on free agency in the next couple seasons, they might look at shorter term deals to build the bullpen.

One player they could target is Shintaro Fujinami who was traded to the Baltimore Orioles from the Oakland Athletics at this year's deadline.

Fujinami is a right hander with a big time fastball and good off-speed stuff. He struggles with command and giving up the long ball, but has a lot of potential as a 29-year-old.

Jake Junis could also be a target.

The 31-year-old is in his second year with the San Francisco Giants and is having his best professional season. He has a career low 3.93 ERA in 2023 since he's transitioned to a primary reliever at the MLB level.

Current New York Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta would give them a great left handed option coming out of the bullpen, something they primarily haven't had.

In two full seasons with the Yankees, the 32-year-old has recorded a 2.72 and 2.83 ERA respectively.

Whether or not the front office will look elsewhere to upgrade their bullpen is to be seen, but these players are targets that could help them if they want to start building a new unit.