Houston Astros Relief Pitcher Could Make an Impact in October

Which Houston Astros relief pitcher could make an impact in the playoffs?

Aug 20, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Kaleb Ort (63) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros are looking to finish up the season strong and win the American League West despite a slow start to the season. 

While the Astros are certainly a contender in the American League once again this season, it hasn’t been the easiest season for them. Houston had to dig themselves out of a hole to start the season, but with just a couple of weeks left in the baseball season, they have a four-game lead over the Seattle Mariners and things are looking good. 

The Astros' first goal is to win the AL West, but after that is accomplished, they will be focused on October once again. For seven straight years, Houston has made the ALCS, and they will be trying to make it eight straight appearances this year. 

Houston is led by a very good starting rotation and some notable bats in their lineup, but they also have a bullpen that has done well. One relief pitcher who was recently acquired has been doing very well of late and that is Kaleb Ort. With October right around the corner, Mike Petriello of MLB.com spoke about Ort being a potential unsung hero for the Astros out of the bullpen. 

“Claimed by the Astros, Ort then only allowed two runs in 16 Triple-A games, joined the big club, and has allowed just four runs in 18 games for Houston. What that means is that since leaving that 12.08 ERA in Norfolk, Ort has a 1.41 ERA in 38 1/3 combined innings in the Astros organization. He looks like a different pitcher, and that’s because he is a different pitcher.”

Ort has been very productive for Houston since he was claimed and has quietly become an important part of the bullpen. At 32-years-old, the right-hander hasn’t had much success in the Majors so far in his career, as his ERA in 2023 was over 6.00 with the Boston Red Sox. 

However, Houston is excellent at getting the most out of their players by making some minor tweaks to either their pitching repertoire or mechanics. For Ort, he has been able to increase his velocity with the Astros and has also mixed in a cutter. 

The changes have done wonders, as the veteran pitcher has totaled a 1.61 ERA in 18 games. Come October, having good arms in the bullpen is a big luxury for teams, as starting pitchers generally have a shorter leash if they are struggling. 

Ort’s emergence as a valuable pitcher in the bullpen has helped the unit look even stronger with closer Josh Hader leading the way.