Astros: Who has 2017 Starting Rotation Job Security?

Are Mike Fiers and Collin McHugh the odd men out of the Astros rotation?

Aug 21, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Fiers (54) waves to the crowd after pitching a no-hitter against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Minute Maid Park. The Astros defeated the Dodgers 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Although there is plenty of baseball yet to be played in 2016, it is never too early to talk about job stability for 2017. With the amount of prospect movement to the major league level, some veterans may find themselves on the outside looking in.

The area that will be most affected is in the Astros starting rotation. Three rookies, Joseph Musgrove, Chris Devenski and Michael Feliz, came into their major league debut this year as a starter in the minor leagues. Dallas Keuchel, the 2015 Cy Young Award winner, has had a rough season but has shown that he has a stable job. The Astros also saw a breakout performance from young right-hander Lance McCullers and a comeback performance from veteran Doug Fister.

With already six pitchers vying for five rotation spots, it’s going to come down to the end of this season and Spring Training in 2017 to figure out who is in. However, that leaves two veteran pitchers out of the equation for next season. For McHugh and Fiers, the next one and a half months of this season are crucial in regards to their job security in 2017.

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Are Mike Fiers and Collin McHugh the odd men out of the Astros rotation?

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