Workload and performance concerns put multiple Astros starters in line for extra rest originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Houston Astros are reshuffling their pitching rotation to protect fatigued arms ahead of a grueling stretch.
Sitting fourth in the American League West at 34-41, Houston’s starting rotation has limped through June with an unsightly 7.12 ERA. Following a much-needed off-day today, the team faces an intense stretch of 13 games in 13 days.
To keep the season from slipping away, manager Joe Espada is proactively adjusting workloads and providing breathers to his struggling starting pitchers. He made it clear via Yahoo Sports that the coaching staff will closely monitor pitching workloads. Espada also emphasized that the team will look at total volume to find spots where they can give their starting pitchers extra rest.
Right-hander Mike Burrows, 26, is the first casualty of the schedule shuffle. He is being temporarily moved to the bullpen to get a necessary breather. Burrows is tied for the league lead with eight losses, stumbling to a 5.86 ERA across 14 starts. He has thrown 78 1/3 innings after throwing just 96 all of last year, causing major volume concerns for the front office.
Tatsuya Imai is also in the conversation. The Japanese righty owns a 6.43 ERA in nine starts, including a rough recent outing in Kansas City where he failed to complete the first inning despite a big lead.
Scheduled for Friday, Imai has yet to pitch on fewer than five days’ rest in the majors. With an off-day today, the Astros can easily push him back or skip his turn entirely to kick off their heavy stretch.
Kai-Wei Teng is also on thin ice in the rotation. The right-hander has given up 14 earned runs over his last three starts, and his fastball velocity dropped noticeably against the Tigers on Monday.
While Teng claims he does not feel tired, Espada said the club will “continue to keep an eye on things” during the heavy schedule.
These moves are simple survival tactics. Hunter Brown‘s activation from the injured list on Tuesday restored that sixth arm. With him back and Lance McCullers Jr., Spencer Arrighetti and Peter Lambert holding rotation spots steady, Espada has the luxury of running six starters through at least the early part of the stretch before deciding whether workload or results push him back to five.
Content Source: Yahoo News
Image Credit: Getty Images
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