Astros Building Bullpen Options For Next Season

The Houston Astros are building options in their bullpen for 2024.

The Astros have a foundation of experience coming back from 2024. Closer Ryan Pressly returns for what could be his final season with the team, as he has an option in 2025. The Astros have three quality set-up men that are under contract — Bryan Abreu, Kendall Graveman and Rafael Montero.

But the Astros also have three key pieces from last year’s bullpen in free agency — Hector Neris, Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek. Given how slowly the free agent market is moving, even after Shohei Ohtani's agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers, these three free agents could be waiting a while for a contract.

The Astros are likely building a 13-player pitching staff for 2024. Five spots would be reserved for starters. Abreu, Graveman, Montero and Pressly would appear to be locks for Opening Day, given their experience.

That leaves four spots. It will likely be competitive.

The Astros started working on creating more competition at the winter meetings.

During or shortly after the Winter Meetings, the Astros agreed to a minor-league deal with Wander Suero and traded for Kansas City reliever Dylan Coleman.

The Astros are hoping they’re getting the Coleman from 2022, when he appeared in 68 games and recording an ERA of 2.78 across 68 innings pitched. He held opposing batters to a .194 average and had a WHIP of 1.24.

Replacing Neris, Maton and Stanek could prove difficult. All three were relied upon heavily last season as the Astros reached the NL Championship series.

But that was with Dusty Baker as manager. Baker tended to lean heavily upon a select group of reliever. New manager Joe Espada may handle his bullpen differently.

The signings of Coleman and Suero doesn't rule out bringing in more bullpen pieces this offseason. The Astros have been linked to former St. Louis and Toronto reliever Jordan Hicks, who has experience as a set-up man and as a closer.

Per MLB.com, the Astros are putting as much of an emphasis on internal options as they are about finding more external options.

That list could include former first-round pick Forrest Whitley, whom the Astros got a fourth-year option on earlier this offseason.

Based on last year's statistics and which pitchers are under contract, those options could include Ronal Blanco, Seth Martinez, Shane Dubin, Matt Gage, Bennett Sousa and Parker Mushinski.

Of those options, Blanco got the most work, throwing 52 innings. But he did so in 17 games, seven of which were starts. Among purely relief options, Martinez threw in 35 games and tossed 43 innings, but had a 5.23 ERA.