Veteran Houston Astros RHP Is Making His Case To Start the 2025 Season in the Bullpen

The Houston Astros 2025 bullpen is going to look much different than it did last offseason, and one player is making his case during spring training to join it.

Houston Astros pitcher Luis Contreras pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning at Target Field. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros have some intriguing decisions to make this spring when it comes to their bullpen, as things have shaken up a little bit when compared to last season. With Kendall Graveman and Ryan Pressly on the way out, and multiple pitchers likely starting out the year on the injured list, some spots may be opening up for other players.

Two relievers have been making a strong impression this spring training, one of whom is Forrest Whitley, and the other is Luis Contreras.

Contreras was signed by the Astros back during the 2023 offseason, and has primarily been utilized in the minor leagues over all else. In the five games he played at the MLB level in 2024, he struggled quite a bit to find his control, pitching six innings and giving up seven hits, six runs, and two walks to six strikeouts. This was good for a 9.00 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP.

However, he was exceptional in Triple-A Sugar Land in 2024, posting a 1.74 ERA, 0.900 WHIP, with 50 strikeouts to 20 walks, two saves, and only three home runs allowed in 46.2 innings.

He has continued this type of momentum into 2025 spring training, where he has made five appearances, and in 5.1 innings has a 0.00 ERA, 0.56 WHIP, .158 allowed batting average, seven strikeouts, no walks, and three allowed hits.

While it is against predominantly minor league competition, he is showing significantly more than his 2024 spring training results, where he had an inflated 6.97 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in eight games, so that is a net positive overall. If he can continue this form through the remaining spring training games he gets playing time in, he may be an option for the bullpen with Houston as he looks to gain more time at the major league level.

The question would ultimately come down to who he replaces in the bullpen, which is a short list as multiple players are essentially locked in for the 2025 season. With that said, the bottom of the group is not as great due to injuries, and there are still around three slots up for grabs potentially as things shake out.

While Contreras did have a tough time against MLB competition previously, he should be given another shot if this is the type of pitching he can produce against young talents, as the Astros are definitely going to need bullpen depth throughout the season.