The Houston Astros had one of the best relief systems in baseball last year and they need to keep that for next season.
It was no secret that the Houston Astros dealt with injury after injury in 2025, specifically towards the end of summer, which was the worst possible time when they were in the thick of a division title race with the Seattle Mariners. In the end it was the Mariners who prevailed and now the Astros are doing everything in their power to make sure they don’t miss the playoffs again in 2026.
Free agency is on every organization’s mind: who is going where and for how much? One Astros free agent is stealing the headlines, starting pitcher Framber Valdez. However, the starting rotation isn’t the only aspect that management needs to be concerned with, but also the bullpen.
The Astros should look inside their own organization, as Craig Kimbrel joined their roster late in the season, but emerged as one of the best decisions they made late in the year, as they picked him up in late August after their in-state rivals released him.
Houston could also look at poaching another relief pitcher from the Rangers, Danny Coulombe. This could be an interesting offseason as the Astros have a lot on their hands with both free agency and their excessive number of players in arbitration.
Uncertainties in the Pen Could Lead to New Signings
The Astros had arguably one of the best compilations of relief pitchers in the game last year, as only one of six had an ERA over 3.01, and 2/3 were under 2.84. Management really can’t ask much more from a bullpen; however, there is one major concern with the pen right now, and that is regarding Josh Hader.
In August, Hader went down with a left shoulder capsule sprain and was shutdown from throwing for what was originally projected to be three weeks which ended up not being the case. As of late September and early October he hadn’t resumed throwing. Surely the offseason will do wonders, but there is still concern of his return to peak performance, but only time will tell.
Kimbrel was only used in 13 games as he joined the team so late in the season, but he fit right in with the guys already in the pen:
*Note* These stats are from a very limited time on the mound, as he only pitched 11 full innings.
- 2.45 ERA
- 3 Earned Runs
- 16 Strikeouts
- 6 Walks
The only concern with Kimbrel would be his age (37) which could work in management’s favor as it could cost less to keep him on the team.
When looking at the Coulombe meltdown that happened when he joined the Rangers at the trade deadline it seems hard to believe that the Astros would want him. BUT, before joining the Rangers, he was exceptional.
- 1.16 ERA in 2025 with the Twins
- .188 Opponent’s Batting Average
- 4 Consecutive Seasons with an ERA Under 3.00
- 17-10 Career
- 3.35 Career ERA
So, the demise that happened when he joined Texas’ pitching staff would work in the favor of the Astros as it hurt his ability to earn a pretty penny in free agency, and with the uncertainties surrounding Hader, he might be worth the gamble.
The bullpen was arguably the best part of the Astros’ season, and the ballclub should want to solidify that for next year, too. It gives them an edge and could make all of the difference down the stretch.
