Bryan Abreu Emerges to Solidify Spot in Houston Astros Bullpen
In 2019, Bryan Abreu stepped onto the scene and made his Major League debut for the Houston Astros. The right-hander appeared in eight games and held a 1.04 ERA through 8.2 innings pitched.
Abreu tallied 13 strikeouts to just three walks that year and looked to be the next up-and-coming big arm for Houston.
However, 2020 was a lost season and 2021 turned into a season of inconsistency rather than one of production.
Fast forward to 2022, and Abreu has emerged as one of the most effective relief pitchers in one of the best bullpens in baseball.
Houston Astros Bryan Abreu celebrates after getting the final out.
© Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
After a rocky start to the 2022 campaign, the Santo Domingo native has been a problem for opposing teams as of late.
Abreu ended April with a 4.66 ERA and many thought it was going to be a repeat of last season. The righty proved that theory wrong in a big way, however, allowing just six earned runs since then.
The relief pitcher leads the Astros bullpen in strikeout percentage (40.3) and is third on the team in ground-ball rate (49.1).
Abreu's velocity is reaching the upper 90s on his four-seam fastball, but the best pitches in his arsenal seem to be the slider and curveball.
His curve has a whiff rate of 50-percent and his slide piece has been dominant, yielding a measly .188 slugging percentage.
Since the first month of the season, Abreu has lowered his ERA to a remarkable 1.88 and shows no signs of slowing down.
It's hard to believe that head coach Dusty Baker is feeling anything other than confidence when Abreu steps out of the bullpen, as he has not allowed an earned run since July 13.
He is proving himself to be a reliable, dominant force and the sky is the limit for the young flamethrower. There is no doubt that Abreu has solidified his spot in the bullpen as the Astros head into the postseason.
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