Astros pitcher Roddery Muñoz benefits from Josh Hader's delay (but there's a catch)

Spring training is the time for guys on the bubble to show out and earn their spots, but sometimes the opportunities can be scarce. The bloated rosters teams carry during the spring can make it hard for some under-the-radar guys to find enough opportunities, as preference is typically given to key vets and top prospects. For Houston Astros reliever Roddery Muñoz, it originally seemed as if he'd be lost in that shuffle.

But a pathway has started to clear. Josh Hader's injury is an unfortunate development for the Astros, but for Muñoz, it will open up spring bullpen innings so that he can show what he can do. Now, with it looking like Hader might not be ready for Opening Day, Muñoz could seize a roster spot.

He isn't a direct replacement for the superstar closer, that will be Bryan Abreu, but with everyone shifting up a rung, the long relief spot is wide open. And for Houston, that role might have some extra importance this season.

However, it's not all sunshine and rainbows for the right-hander. Even if he wins a job, he'll need to keep it thanks to his status as a Rule 5 pick.

Rule 5 draft pick Roddery Muñoz could be in play for the Astros Opening Day bullpen, but his staying power is questionable

With Tatsuya Imai in the fold and a gaggle of potentially serviceable rotation arms, the Astros are planning to run a six-man rotation in 2026. Doing so comes with a serious drawback.

Carrying the extra starter means one less reliever in the pen, which could lead to burnout, especially among the Astros' top arms. We're already seeing the worry an injury would cause with Hader's status up in the air, and losing another to an overuse injury would be catastrophic, to say nothing of the diminishing returns the club would receive once the bullpen is worn down.

That's what makes Muñoz so intriguing. For most of his professional career, he's been a starter, and even when he has worked out of the pen, as he did last year in Triple-A for the St. Louis Cardinals, he's shown the ability to go multiple innings. In 2025, he made 38 appearances while tossing 57 2/3 frames.

The 25-year-old is also unique for another reason. Most Rule 5 picks are minor leaguers who haven't shown enough over the years to be added to their former clubs' 40-man rosters. Muñoz is different. He's had two different big league stints, first with the Miami Marlins as a starter in 2024, and then a much more abbreviated showing as a reliever with St. Louis. Neither went well, and his career 6.73 ERA is why he's in this position today.

So far, Muñoz has looked relatively impressive this spring. He's running a 31.3% strikeout rate with no walks, and has induced ground balls at a 60% clip. You can't clean much from a three-inning sample, but those underlying metrics mitigate some of the concern a 6.00 spring ERA brings.

Of course, even if he makes the roster, and this will be especially true if it is because Hader starts the year on the IL, he'll be skating on thin ice. Too many missteps and he'll get booted out of the bullpen, and likely will be offered back to the Cincinnati Reds, who had signed him as a minor league free agent back on December 2.