Astros Need Pitchers To Step Up in Bullpen After Offseason Trade Created Void

Will the Houston Astros' bullpen hold up in 2025?

Nick Ziegler | Mar 29, 2025

Mar 27, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Pressly (55) pitches against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Chase Field. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

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Houston Astros

The start of the 2025 campaign got off to a nice start for the Houston Astros with a win on Opening Day over the New York Mets.

Due to a chaotic offseason, the Astros might have been the team under the biggest microscope coming into the year.

The franchise made the decision to move on from some key players this winter, and that started with the blockbuster trade that sent Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs.

However, with the recent emergence of Cam Smith, that all of a sudden looks much better than originally thought.

While the Tucker trade was the most notable one this winter, there was another one with the Cubs that had significance.

By moving on from Ryan Pressly to save some money, the Astros created a massive void in their bullpen heading into the year.

While the lineup might exceed expectations, and the starting rotation is going to be very good, the relief staff has some question marks.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com stated Houston's in-house relievers have to fill the void created by shipping away Pressly, writing, "reliable bullpen arms need to emerge."

The veteran right-hander was a key piece of their bullpen in 2024 despite not being the closer, turning into a dominant setup man after he adjusted to that role.

But now, he will once again be closing games for Chicago, which is seemingly what he prefers to be doing since that's the only reason he waived his no-trade clause.

For the Astros, replacing that caliber of relief pitcher in the bullpen is nearly impossible. Fortunately, they have a good one-two punch in the backend with Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu in the eighth and ninth innings.

However, there does seem to be a bit of uncertainty in the middle relief department now, which could be a cause for concern.

Even though the backend of the bullpen is strong, the team still needs to be able to get the ball to Abreu and Hader. One pitcher who has performed well, and will likely be in many high-leverage situations, will be Tayler Scott.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how some of the unproven pitchers in the bullpen develop for Houston.

If they are able to perform well, this unit could be strong. However, that's not a given, so this is something worth monitoring to begin the year.

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