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Which Astros pitcher should be moved into rotation?
The Astros announced Sunday they were moving LHP Erik Bedard out of the rotation and into the bullpen, opening up a rotation spot for Friday’s game against the Rangers at Minute Maid Park. There’s no shortage of candidates for that start, ranging from long relievers with starting pedigrees in Paul Clemens, Jose Ciserno and Dallas Keuchel, to Minor League prospects Jarred Cosart and Brett Oberholtzer.
So, who would you like to see moved into the rotation?
Bedard out of Astros rotation
For the second time in less than a week, the Astros made a change in their starting pitching rotation when manager Bo Porter announced Sunday left-hander Erik Bedard would be working out of the bullpen for an indefinite period.
Last week, right-hander Brad Peacock was moved out of the rotation and later sent to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Bedard is 0-2 with an 8.20 ERA in six games for the Astros this year, but has a 9.98 ERA in five starts. He threw 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief in an Opening Night win over the Rangers before making five starts, four of which the Astros have lost.
“I talked to Erik about it, and he took it well,” Porter said. “He understood the decision, and like I said to him, he’s not a guy that I’ll get up and sit back down. When he gets up [in the bullpen], I’m going to get him up and get him in the game. I understand where he’s at his in his career, but I do believe that he can really help us in a multitude of roles.
“His strikeouts are up and he’s a guy you can bring in if you find a pocket with some lefties that it may be the back end of a game situation, or it may be a long situation where we have a lead going into the sixth inning, kind of like we did Opening Day, and can set up the closer.”
The Astros will take advantage of Monday’s off today to keep Jordan Lyles (Tuesday), Bud Norris (Wednesday) and Lucas Harrell (Thursday) or four days of rest, and Porter said he’ll announce a starter for Friday’s game against the Rangers later in the week.
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel or right-handers Paul Clemens or Jose Cisnero – all of whom are in long relief roles in the bullpen – could make the start, but Porter didn’t rule out making a move. Top pitching prospect Jarred Cosart is scheduled to start Monday for Triple-A Oklahoma City, but the Astros don’t seem in a rush to promote him. Left-hander Brett Oberholtzer is scheduled to throw Friday for the RedHawks.
Astros lineup vs. Tigers
Astros lineup Sunday vs. Tigers:
CF Robbie Grossman
LF Fernando Martinez
C Jason Castro
1B Carlos Pena
DH Carlos Corporan
3B Brandon Laird
RF Rick Ankiel
SS Ronny Cedeno
2B Marwin Gonzalez
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RHP Philip Humber
Astros name Minor League Players of the Month
The Astros player development department has named April’s Minor League Pitchers and Players of the Month at each of its four in-season Minor League affiliates. These awards are chosen every month by the field staff of each team:
TRIPLE-A OKLAHOMA CITY
RHP Jarred Cosart was named Pitcher of the Month after posting a 3-0 record and a 2.63 ERA (8ER/27.1IP) in six games (five starts) for the RedHawks. He allowed just a .190 (19×100) opponent’s batting average and led the club with 29 strikeouts in his 27.1 innings pitched. IF Marc Krauss was named the RedHawks Player of the Month after hitting .333 (26×78) with five doubles, six home runs and 25 RBI in 23 games in April. Krauss ranks tied for first among all Astros minor leaguers in RBI and ranks seventh in the Pacific Coast League in that category.
DOUBLE-A CORPUS CHRISTI
RHP Asher Wojciechowski was named Double A Corpus Christi’s Pitcher of the Month after going 2-1 with a save and a 2.08 ERA (6ER/26IP) in six games (three starts) for the Hooks. He allowed just 17 hits and seven walks in his 26.0 innings for a 0.92 WHIP, which ranked sixth in the Texas League. OF George Springer earned Player of the Month honors after posting a .297 (27×91) average, with eight doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI in 25 games in April. He leads all Astros minor leaguers in home runs and ranks tied for first in the Texas League in home runs and third in OPS (.398OBP/.625SLG).
CLASS A LANCASTER
LHP Luis Cruz earned Class A Lancaster Pitcher of the Month honors after compiling a 1-1 record with one save and a 3.47 ERA (9ER/23.1IP) in six games (three starts). Drafted by Houston out of Puerto Rico in the ninth round of the June 2008 Draft, Cruz fanned 30 hitters in 23.1 inning pitched in April. Lancaster’s Player of the Month went to SS Nolan Fontana, who leads all Astros minor leaguers with a .508 on-base percentage. In April, Fontana hit .365 (31×85) with 22 runs scored, seven doubles, two homers and 19 RBI in 24 games for the JetHawks. Fontana leads the California League in walks (27) and runs scored (24), while ranking second in OBP and third in hits.
CLASS A QUAD CITIES
A second-round draft pick by Houston in the June 2010 draft, RHP Vince Velasquez went 3-0 with two saves and a 2.45 ERA (7ER/25.2IP) in six games (three starts) en route to being named Class A Quad Cities Pitcher of the Month. Velasquez had 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings pitched last month, while allowing just a .156 (14×90) opponent’s batting average. OF Teoscar Hernandez was named the club’s Player of the Month after hitting .297 (27×91) with 18 runs scored, seven doubles, 12 RBI and eight stolen bases in 21 games. Hernandez leads the River Bandits in runs scored, hits, doubles, triples (3) and steals.
Lyles returns to the Astros on Thursday
Astros manager Bo Porter announced Wednesday right-hander Jordan Lyles, who began the season at Triple-A Oklahoma City, would start Thursday’s series opener against the Tigers at Minute Maid Park. MLB.com reported late Tuesday that Lyles would be called up.
Lyles is taking the rotation spot that came open when right-hander Brad Peacock was moved to the bullpen. The Astros will announce a corresponding roster move Thursday.
Lyles, 22, was set to begin the season in the Astros starting rotation, but he was sent to Triple-A following a poor spring. He went 2-2 with a 5.32 ERA in six games (five starts) for the RedHawks, throwing a strong game Saturday in which he allowed three hits and one run in five innings.
“This is a guy that we expected to be a part of the rotation,” Porter said. “He didn’t fair too well this spring, but sometimes guys taking a step back allows him to take three steps forward, and we hope that’s the case with Jordan.”
Porter said RedHawks manager Tony DeFrancesco had good things to say about Lyles.
“We received outstanding reports, and Tony has raved about his preparation, his demeanor and wanting to get back to the big leagues and he’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and we look forward to getting him back here,” Porter said.
Porter said Lyles had done a better job attacking hitters and pitching ahead in the count with improved breaking stuff.
“This guy has all the skill sets to be a front-of-the-rotation starter in this league,” he said. “We’re hoping that is the case and the step he took back this spring added motivation to never take it for granted to give everything he has, to not only be in the big leagues, but be an elite pitcher in the big leagues.”
Lyles made 25 starts for the Astros last year and was 5-12 with a 5.09 ERA
Lyles, Keuchel on way to join Astros
The Astros are preparing to call up right-hander Jordan Lyles and left-hander Dallas Keuchel from Triple-A Oklahoma City, a baseball source told MLB.com on Tuesday.
It’s unknown what the corresponding roster moves will be, but the Astros have yet to announce who will start Thursday’s game against the Tigers in Houston. That’s the rotation spot formerly occupied by Brad Peacock, who struggled and was moved to the bullpen.
Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow couldn’t be reached for comment.
Lyles, 22, was set to begin the season in the Astros starting rotation, but he was sent to Triple-A following a poor spring. He went 2-2 with a 5.32 ERA in six games (five starts) for the RedHawks, throwing a strong game Saturday in which he allowed three hits and one run in five innings.
Lyles made 25 starts for the Astros last year and was 5-12 with a 5.09 ERA.
Keuchel, 25, also began the season in Oklahoma City, but was recalled April 6 when Travis Blackley went on the disabled list with a left shoulder strain. Keuchel posted a 3.38 ERA in 10 2/3 innings in four relief appearances with Houston before being sent back down on April 21 when the Astros’ bullpen was in need of a fresh arm.
Peacock moved to the bullpen
Right-hander Brad Peacock, who has struggled as a starter this year, was told Monday by manager Bo Porter he was being moved into the bullpen. The team’s starter for Thursday’s game against Detroit will be announced later. Peacock, acquired from the A’s on Feb. 4 in the Jed Lowrie trade, went 1-3 with an 8.44 ERA in 21 1/3 innings in five starts.
“It more so has to do with us an organization trying to put him in position where he could have some success,” Porter said. “We believe that he’s still a starting pitcher and you guys have witnessed it. We’ve had starters go down in the bullpen and pitch in long relief and they’ve had great success, and we’re hoping the same thing can happen with Brad Peacock.”
Porter wouldn’t say if the Astros’ starter for Thursday would come from among their long relievers — Travis Blackley, Paul Clemens or Jose Ciserno — or from Triple-A.
“Jeff [Luhnow] and I had a good conversation yesterday and we continued that conversation today and we’ll have an announcement later this week of who that starter will be,” he said.
Porter said Peacock just gets need to get some confidence.
“It’s amazing what success can do for you,” he said. “The whole plan is to try to get him down there, find some favorable match-ups and situations to put him in rather than starting the game. Hopefully, the success he’s able to have in the bullpen builds him back up where we get him back into the rotation. That is definitely the plan.”
Peacock had trouble throwing strikes, which got him in deep counts and ran his pitch count up high. The Astros want him to attack hitters more, and the bullpen will give him a chance to do that.
“When you’re a starter and you think about pacing yourself throughout a game where hitters are probably going to see you three times and you’re talking six, seven innings, the difference coming out of the bullpen is basically you come in and say to yourself, ‘This guy’s going to see me one time,’” Porter said. “The mentality of attack is a little bit different coming out of the bullpen.
“When you look at Peacock in the games in which he started, there were a lot of deep counts. From a mental standpoint, one of the things I’m hoping comes out of the bullpen [move] is more of an attack-mode and once he’s in the rotation it carries over.”
Astros lineup Saturday vs. Sox
Astros lineup Saturday vs. Red Sox
2B Jose Altuve
RF Brandon Barnes
1B Brandon Laird
LF Chris Carter
DH Ronny Cedeno
C Carlos Corporan
3B Matt Dominguez
SS Marwin Gonzalez
CF Robbie Grossman
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RHP Brad Peacock
Maxwell out 4 to 6 weeks; Owens sidelined
Astros outfielder Justin Maxwell, who fractured his left hand on Tuesday, is expected to be out four to six weeks, the team announced Friday.
Maxwell, 29, fractured the fifth metacarpal of his left hand but does not require surgery. He is currently in a splint. Maxwell started the Astros’ first 20 games in center field and played every inning this year before exiting Tuesday’s game against Seattle after the fourth inning.
Meanwhile, the Astros announced left-handed pitcher Rudy Owens, who is on the 40-man roster and currently assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City, has been sidelined with a stress fracture of his left foot that will require surgery. He will miss up to five months.
Owens, 25, suffered a stress fracture in his left foot and will have surgery in Houston on Monday. Following the surgery, he will be in a walking boot for approximately six weeks. Owens made four appearances for Oklahoma City this season, posting a 3.71 ERA.
Astros’ lineup at Red Sox
Astros’ lineup at Red Sox:
CF Robbie Grossman
2B Jose Altuve
C Jason Castro
1B Carlos Pena
DH Chris Carter
LF Fernando Martinez
3B Matt Dominguez
RF Rick Ankiel
SS Marwin Gonzalez
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RHP Philip Humber
Brian McTaggart
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