Astros sign Beeks as search continues for bullpen bridge to Abreu, Hader

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The Astros added an experienced arm to their bullpen mix Friday by signing veteran left-hander Jalen Beeks to a Minor League contract, a move which gives manager Joe Espada another option in a bullpen that has at least three spots up for grabs.

The bullpen is anchored by closer Josh Hader and setup man Bryan Abreu, but injuries to Kaleb Ort (oblique) and Shawn Dubin (shoulder inflammation) have thinned Houston¡¯s depth a bit. Beeks, who posted a 4.50 ERA in 71 games last year with the Rockies and Pirates, should help, but the Astros could still be looking to upgrade their bullpen in the final two weeks of camp.

¡°He¡¯s been a good pitcher for a long time, and I told him how I envisioned the next couple of weeks could go,¡± Espada said. ¡°We want to create more competition, and he falls right into that group.¡±

Espada said he wants to limit pitching Hader and Abreu in multiple innings this year, which puts the onus on some other arms to step up. Abreu handled a huge workload last year by appearing in 78 games, which was the second-most in the Major Leagues.

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The bigger challenge, though, could be getting the ball to Abreu and Hader.

¡°Last year, the way we started the season, we were trying to win as many games as possible, so I was forced to use those guys for multiple innings and I would really like to stay away from that,¡± Espada said. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that won¡¯t happen, but I¡¯m more mindful of the toll I would take on them. We need guys to bridge the gap to those guys that could give us three outs, somebody we feel confident could get a righty and lefty out.¡±

The Astros¡¯ bullpen depth took a hit when they traded setup man Ryan Pressly to the Cubs in January, a deal which saved them $8.5 million against this year¡¯s payroll. Pressly, who lost his job as closer when Hader signed prior to last season, threw 56 2/3 innings for Houston last year, most of which came in high-leverage situations.

The five current locks for the bullpen are Hader, Abreu, Tayler Scott, Forrest Whitley and lefty Bryan King. That leaves three spots, which will come down to performance, options and, yes, money. Nick Hernandez and Luis Contreras are on the 40-man roster and have options, which would make it easy for the club to carry them.

Scott won a job in Houston¡¯s bullpen last spring and pitched well -- he had a 2.23 ERA in 62 games -- before ending the season on the injured list with a thoracic spine strain. Can he duplicate that success year? Scott had thrown only 46 innings in his big league career prior to last season.

Bennett Sousa, who missed all of last season with left shoulder inflammation, is among a group of five left-handers competing for a spot. The other four -- Beeks, Steven Okert, Brandon Walter and Blake Weiman -- aren¡¯t on the 40-man roster. Veteran right-hander Miguel Castro isn¡¯t on the 40-man roster either, and would eat into some payroll if he¡¯s added to the roster, the same with Okert.

One reliever whose money is already factored into the payroll is Rafael Montero, who was designated for assignment last year in the middle of a three-year, $34.5 million deal he signed after the 2022 season. He¡¯s not on the 40-man roster. Neither is Logan VanWey, who was a strike-thrower in Triple-A last year and is a dark horse bullpen candidate.

¡°Competition creates opportunity, and opportunities are there for a lot of these guys,¡± Espada said. ¡°We are evaluating all these guys. Again, performance and how they get guys out, it matters. There¡¯s competition going on in camp.¡±

Beeks, 31, posted a 1.49 WHIP while pitching with Colorado and Pittsburgh, with 27 walks and 55 strikeouts. He¡¯s appeared in 202 games in his career with the Red Sox, Rays, Rockies and Pirates.

¡°We¡¯ve been trying to figure out the best place for me,¡± Beeks said. ¡°The Astros reached out and we¡¯ve been in contact with them all offseason. They¡¯ve got a really good team this year, like usual. I wanted to be part of a winning culture, and they do great with pitching philosophy and how to use analytics, and I thought it would be a great fit. I¡¯m eager to learn what they got for me.¡±