3 budget free agents Houston Astros should pursue

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The Houston Astros are in a strong position regarding starter options to open the 2022 season, whenever that happens. With Lance McCullers Jr. and Justin Verlander returning from injury, innings restrictions could be in-place, leading to more piggyback options or six-man rotations.

With a loaded 40-man roster, the Astros are good on pitchers, especially arms with minor-league options, but there are players that could easily be removed if necessary.

If the Astros pursue more options to bolster the bullpen, there are cheap pitchers on the market, once major-league discussions start with a new collective bargaining agreement.

Free-agent starter Matthew Boyd could be a prove-it deal the Astros could match.

Boyd has spent his whole major-league career with the Detroit Tigers, a team on the rise in the American League Central, excluding a half season with the Toronto Blue Jays, but the left-hander hasn’t had a season with an ERA lower than 3.89 in his seven-year career.

Although posting a 3.89 ERA in 2021, Boyd had his best statistical season yet. The 31-year-old has struggled with home runs and high strikeout-rates in his past, but the next step for Boyd could be in the bullpen.

The Astros have only three lefties on the roster with Brooks Raley signing with the Tampa Bay Rays. Of bullpen options, Blake Taylor and Jonathan Bermudez are the only two lefties, while Bermudez was added this offseason and has yet to make his major-league debut.

Boyd’s addition adds another lefty to the mix, while he is extra rotation depth with major-league experience which was lacking in 2021. The left-hander lives by soft contact similar to Raley and could hone his high-spin rate with the Astros.

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Tommy Hunter could be a minor-league signing for the Astros.

Major League Baseball teams add non-roster invites before spring training with right-hander Steve Cishek being an example from 2021. This year, there are no reports on minor-league signings similar to Cishek’s.

This is where Hunter could enter the equation. At 35-years-old, the right-hander has 14 years of major-league experience behind him with a tie to general manager James Click in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Hunter is standing on his last leg, after only pitching in four games during the 2021 season with the New York Mets due to lower-back pain. After not pitching in a full season since 2018, Hunter could sign a low-cost deal with the Astros, which could end in high-reward option if his high-spin rate is still there.

If his services are not needed in the bullpen, then he would easily be released similarly to Cishek.

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Jake Diekman is a high-leverage lefty arm the Astros could take on a one-year deal.

At 34-years-old, Diekman was bought out by the Oakland A’s following the 2021 season. The left-hander went unsigned prior to the lockout, but a cheap major-league deal is likely in his future with his age and position.

The reliever struggled with hard-hit balls last season, but he was in the 96th percentile of Whiff% and in the 92nd percentile of K%. Diekman is on a different level compared to Boyd and Hunter, as his game relies mostly on punch outs.

This is a type of pitcher you can never have too many of, as Diekman’s addition would be another high-leverage option on a cheap deal to round out the backend of the bullpen. The now 35-year-old made $4 million last season, and something similar or less could be on the table after the lockout.

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3 budget free agents Astros should pursue

Free-agent starter Matthew Boyd could be a prove-it deal the Astros could match.

Tommy Hunter could be a minor-league signing for the Astros.

Jake Diekman is a high-leverage lefty arm the Astros could take on a one-year deal.

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