10 free agent relievers the Astros should consider targeting this offseason

With the 2023 season winding down, the flurry of activity that is the offseason is just around the corner and the Houston Astros are going to be right in the middle of it. Houston has a roster that should absolutely compete in 2024 assuming that general manager Dana Brown hits the right notes heading into spring training.

Settling on a corner outfielder and their last spot in the rotation is near the top of the list of priorities, but the Astros also have some work to do to get their bullpen back on track. Houston had some real relief depth issues in 2023 and those concerns aren't going to be any better with some of the guys the Astros are set to lose in free agency.

Ranking the Astros' bullpen options in free agency

While this year's free agent class as a whole is decidedly lackluster, the one area of depth it does have is in bullpen arms. As is typical, there are far more righties than lefties here, but both groups have some interesting options that could be valuable additions to the Astros in 2024 including a few former Astros. This list isn't an exhaustive list of the free agent reliever options available to Houston because, well, there are a lot of them. Consider this to be a ranking of the more interesting options on the market.

Let's take a look at 10 bullpen targets for the Astros this offseason.

Astros Reliever Targets: A-Tier

These relievers would be fine additions to the Astros, but may not have the same likelihood of reaching their potential or have the same upside as the S-tier group. These guys may also be the most likely grouping from which Houston could choose from as they should all be able to be signed to reasonable contracts this offseason.

Phil Maton

Yet another familiar face, Phil Maton just posted his best season as a pro in 2023 with a 3.00 ERA in 66 innings of work. He misses bats and gets a lot of soft contact despite not exactly lighting up the radar gun and clearly Houston is familiar with how to get the most out of his stuff. The Astros shouldn't get in a bidding war over him, but a reunion makes a ton of sense at a reasonable price.

Keynan Middleton

If Keynan Middleton could limit his walks more, he would be considered one of the absolute best relievers on the free agent market. He pitched his brains out after being traded to the Yankees at the trade deadline, misses bats, and is really hard to square up. Put him on the Astros with their analytics department and infield defense and he could be a force to be reckoned with.

Joe Jimenez

One of the unsung heroes for the Braves this season was Joe Jimenez who gave Atlanta some big time relief innings in the second half of 2023. He has a quality fastball and throws a lot of strikes even though he can get hit hard when he is off. Jimenez will be in demand this offseason, but he shouldn't command too much of a premium and would be a great 7th or 8th inning guy to add to the Houston bullpen.

Brent Suter

Lefty bullpen arms are always needed and one of the better ones on the free agent market is going to be Brent Suter. Suter doesn't get a ton of attention, but he somehow posted a 3.38 ERA in 2023 despite playing in the pitching wasteland that is Colorado. He is a bit of a junkballer as his fastball averages around 87 MPH, but he is great at getting soft contact and his changeup has been borderline untouchable for a couple years now. His fastball velo may give the Astros some pause, but this guy can pitch and would be a solid pick-up.

Astros Reliever Targets: B-Tier

Now we get to the B-tier and this is an interesting high risk, high reward group. These guys have the stuff to be top flight bullpen options, but have some warts that are hard to ignore including price, command, etc. If the deal is right, all of these guys are worth taking a shot on, but Houston needs to do their due diligence before pulling the trigger.

Jordan Hicks

Hick's fastball probably doesn't need any introduction as it averages north of 100 MPH and has touched 105. The pitch is an absolute weapon, but he doesn't fool as many batters as you would think and the walk rate is downright spooky. There is a real chance that some team throws a bunch of money at him in the hope that he could become a high-end closer. However, his command issues along with some injury risk should keep the Astros out of it unless his price is reasonable.

Reynaldo Lopez

Reynaldo Lopez was a starting pitching prospect of note for a while, but he has settled into the bullpen nicely with a 3.02 ERA over the last two seasons. His fastball checks a lot of boxes for the analytically inclined and he does miss bats, but his command leaves something to be desired and can get hit hard if he leaves his breaking stuff over the plate. His expected cost keeps him in the B-tier given the risk, but there is certainly a price point where Lopez would make a ton of sense.

Aroldis Chapman

Finally, we could to Aroldis Chapman who is a known quantity. He throws really hard and has been one of the more consistent bullpen performers in the league for years now. However, he is 35 years old and has a lot of miles on an arm that HAS to be able to throw hard to be effective. Aroldis also has a fair bit of off the field baggage that the Astros could do without and he isn't likely to sign a cheap deal like he did with Kansas City for 2023, but he remains a possibility nonetheless.

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