Astros lose second lefty reliever to the injured list

The Astros sent Parker Mushinski to the injured list, leaving the club without a left-handed reliever in the bullpen.

Prior to Tuesday’s contest with the Seattle Mariners, the Houston Astros announced the placement of left-handed reliever Parker Mushinski to the 15-day injured list with left-elbow discomfort.

Mushinski was recalled Saturday, following Blake Taylor’s placement to the 15-day with left-elbow discomfort, too. Mushinski appeared Monday in his lone outing of his callup, throwing one inning with two walks and a strikeout.

As a corresponding move, the Astros recalled Brandon Bielak from Triple-A Sugar Land for his first stint in the Majors since late September 2021. With a 3.19 ERA over 36.2 innings with the Space Cowboys, Bielak offers long relief to an overused bullpen in the last two games.

The Astros have two healthy left-handed pitchers on the 40-man roster in Framber Valdez and Jonathan Bermudez, who sports an 8.39 ERA over 39.2 Triple-A innings. Manager Dusty Baker believes in having a lefty in his bullpen, and while returns are unknown for Mushinski and Taylor, Zac Rosscup could be next in line.

Rosscup was signed during spring training along with lefty Adam Morgan, who opted out of his minor-league contract and was released at the start of May. Rosscup has pitched 20 innings for Sugar Land with a 2.25 ERA and 22 strikeouts.

The veteran provides experience to a spot in the bullpen lacking it. The 40-man is full, but as Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported Tuesday, Taylor’s elbow inflammation will make him a no-throw for awhile which may open a roster spot if Taylor is transfered to the 60-day injured list.

Following ejections Monday, Astros’ staff received fines, while Hector Neris and manager Dusty Baker were suspended.

The benches cleared Monday when Hector Neris hit Ty France in the back with a fastball in the top of the ninth inning. With warnings and ejections handed out, Hector Neris followed with his own ejection after throwing behind Eugenio Suarez, leading to Baker’s ejection, too, by rule.

Punishments were handed out before Tuesday’s contest. Baker, Joe Espada, Omar Lopez, Troy Snitker and Mariners’ manager Scott Servais received undisclosed fines from Major League Baseball, while Espada picked up managerial duties with Baker suspended Tuesday.

Neris received a four-game suspension by Major League Baseball but has appealed it, according to multiple reports. After pitching two games in a row, the righty may not pitch Tuesday but is the bullpen for Houston.