Astros sign Peter Moylan

The Astros have signed pitcher Peter Moylan to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training. The deal was originally reported by Ben Nicholson-Smith via Twitter.

A 34-year old right-hander with a sidearm delivery, Moylan possesses a low nineties fastball and a big breaking slider that he throws quite frequently. Injuries have limited him to only 28 & 2/3 big league innings over the last three seasons.

A native of Australia, Moylan parlayed a strong showing in the 2006 World Baseball Classic into a big league career. Moylan posted a stellar 1.80 ERA in 80 appearances with the Atlanta Braves in 2007 and was off to a good start in 2008 before experiencing elbow soreness. Moylan would require Tommy John surgery and miss most of the 2008 season.

Peter Moylan ( Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports)

Moylan would make a speedy recovery and return to the Braves in the spring of ’09 and make 87 regular season appearances out of the Atlanta bullpen. Moylan would make another 85 appearances in 2010, becoming the first Braves pitcher to appear in 80 or more games in three separate seasons.

Back and shoulder injuries would sidetrack Moylan’s career over the next couple of years. Moylan would leave the Braves via Free Agency after an injury riddled 2012 campaign. After signing a minor league deal with the Dodgers, Moylan spent the 2013 season bouncing up and down between Los Angeles and AAA Albuquerque.

This is a low cost, low risk investment by the Astros — the kind we’ve become accustomed to seeing over the last few years. Can Moylan recapture his youth and become a mainstay in the Houston bullpen? Or has time caught up with the veteran from Australia? We should know the answers to these questions by May 1st, at the latest.