Should Houston Astros Pursue World Series-Winning Starting Pitcher?

The Houston Astros are short on left-handed pitchers and proven starting depth. Could adding a pitcher with a World Series ring solve both problems at once?

Aug 21, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Andrew Heaney (44) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Globe Life Field. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

As the Houston Astros prepare for the 2025 season, the disappointment of failing to reach the ALCS for the first time since 2016 is lingering over the organization's head.

The team's pitching staff was completely ravaged by injuries last year, as Cristian Javier, Justin Verlander, Lance McCullers Jr, Luis Garcia and Jose Urquidy all missed significant time with various ailments.

Javier, Garcia and McCullers are candidates to return to the mound at some point in 2025, but the team still has some glaring holes in terms of its pitching staff. Ace Framber Valdez is the only lefty in the rotation, and closer Josh Hader and reliever Bryan King are the only southpaws in the bullpen.

Adding another lefty to the staff that can both start games or come on in relief seems to be a logical move for general manager Dana Brown at this junction, and veteran hurler Andrew Heaney is the exact sort of candidate to provide some quality innings.

According to Bleacher Report, Heaney is the top left-handed starting pitcher still available in free agency. Heaney is 33 years old, and he is coming off of a productive two-year stint with Houston's AL West rival, the Texas Rangers.

Over the past two years in Arlington, Heaney made 28 starts in 2023 followed by 31 in 2024, showcasing the reliability and durability he brings to any club he's on. For a team like Houston that is both short on left-handers and has been plagued by injuries to key pitchers, Heaney could provide the exact sort of stability that the Astros need.

Beyond his consistent availability, Heaney's results on the mound have been respectable as well. He posted a 4.15 ERA in 2023 and a 4.28 mark last year, and while those don't make him a top-of-the-rotation arm, they provide great value as a fourth or fifth option, which is all Houston should be in the market for anyway.

Heaney is also the exact sort of arm that the Astros have found success with during their near-dynastic run over the past 10 years. He has solid swing-and-miss ability, and can rack up strikeouts even if he sometimes gets hit hard.

He has topped 150 punchouts in each of the last two seasons, and the quality of his breaking ball could be increased thanks to Houston's propensity for prioritizing every pitcher's best offering and working with them to develop a solid plan of attack against hitters.

If Brown and the Astros do decide to make an addition to their pitching staff before Opening Day, look for Heaney to be a solid veteran option to the group.

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