Astros bullpen may have finally passed its breaking point as season hangs in balance

For the third straight season the Houston Astros have been besieged by injury, especially to their pitching staff. For the second straight season, they made no attempt to bolster the pitching at the trade deadline. For the second straight season, injuries and a rapid loss of effectiveness are hitting the Astros hard at the very end of the season.

The bullpen, which has been the strength of the pitching staff all season, is gassed. Relievers who have been solid for Houston all season are coming undone at the worst possible time. One of their best releievrs, Steven Okert, has been out since September 4 and will miss the rest of the season.

Manager Joe Espada had planned on giving AJ Blubaugh more leverage situations. Unfortunately, Blubaugh appears to be out of steam after leading MLB in innings out of the bullpen this season. He's allowed runs in five of his last seven outings, with a total of 9 ER over 6 IP in that span. His ERA rising from 3.02 to 3.70.

Enyel De Los Santos has been more good than bad, until recently. After allowing 6 ER in his last three appearances (4 IP), he is now on the IL with right knee tendinitis. His season is over.

Tatsuya Imai is essentially banished to the netherworld. He has pitched out of the pen just seven times since July 27. He has only allowed 4 ER in 17 IP, on 8 hits with with 11 walks and 24 strikeouts. In six of those seven appearances, he came into a game at the end while the Astros were losing and finished off the last 2-3 innings. He is clearly not a part of the bullpen rotation, and is essentially dead weight on the roster.

Bryan King was having a career season, entering play on July 10 with a 2.03 ERA. King had established himself since 2024 as a reliable leverage arm in Joe Espada's pen. Then everything when straight to you know where in a handbasket. Two trips to the minors haven't gotten him right. He posted a 9.31 ERA in July, a 12.79 ERA in August, and an 11.81 ERA in September. His season ERA is now 5.40 and he's become a non-tender candidate in the offseason to get him removed from the 40-man roster.

Bryan Abreu had a hideous start to the season, and then started to find himself in the month of May. Lately, however, he's allowed game changing home runs in two of his last four appearances, resulting in a loss and a blown save. In his last appearance, he was brough into a tough situation. He faced bases loaded, 1 out situation. He struck out the first batter he faced, then served up a 96 MPH fastball right down the middle to Ronald Acuna Jr, who deposited it 411 feet away for a game-changing grand slam that put the Braves ahead for good. It was the one outcome that he couldn't allow. This entire season seems like it has been a gut-check on Abreu's mental toughness, and the results have been found wanting.

Only Josh Hader has been a true constant, re-establishing himself as one of the ultimate closers in the league. Hader has been perfect in 26 save opportunities. He is 4-1 on the season with an 0.83 ERA and a ridiculous 0.65 WHIP. He has allowed only 4 ER all season, and has a 55/11 K/BB ratio in 43.1 IP over 44 appearances. Sadly, he cannot pitch four innings every night.

In their series this past weekend against the Atlanta Braves, the Astros threw their top 3 starters in Peter Lambert, Hayden Wesneski and Hunter Brown. They allowed a total of 3 runs in 15.2 IP. They lost all 3 games.

The Astros bullpen pitched to a 10.32 ERA in that series, allowing 13 runs (5 HR) in 11.1 IP in that series. The blew every game, and may have in the process blown the Astros season.

The Astros current rotation just doesn't have the horses to go 6-7 innings per start. The Astros bullpen is often going more than 4 innings per night. The Astros 630.2 IP out of the pen is the fifth-most in baseball this season, made even more astounding by the fact they have rarely used openers.

Manager Joe Espada has had no choice but to lean on a bullpen due to injuries and ineffectiveness. Former GM Dana Brown's offseason pitching moves have all largely failed. The one move that worked, SP Peter Lambert, was cut after Spring Training and luckily re-signed to a minor league deal afterwards. He also hasn't won a game since July 11 and has lost five straight decisions. In that time, he has made 12 starts and in only one of them did he not pitch well enough to give his team a chance to win.

The strength of the Astros pitching has been the pen, and now the pen is faltering. Can they ramp it back up for one more week? If not, it will be the last week they pitch this season.

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