Houston Astros Sign Veteran Reliever To Bolster Bullpen Unit

The Houston Astros have added another reliever to the mix after signing a veteran right-hander.

Jul 22, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Miguel Castro (50) pitches during the fourth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros made their major moves this offseason, shipping Kyle Tucker out of town and then handing star first baseman Christian Walker a large contract to take over that position.

It was thought that the front office might be done in the meantime, choosing to see what else they needed after understanding what their arbitration numbers might look like.

But, according to Jon Heyman of The New York Post, Dana Brown continued his mantra of not waiting around this winter, reportedly signing veteran reliever Miguel Castro to a contract.

The insider did not disclose what the terms of the contract are, or if it is a Major or minor league deal.

Castro struggled this pat season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a 5.93 ERA across his 11 outings that caused him to be designated for assignment and later released in July. But the year prior, he led the National League with 75 appearances, putting up a 102 ERA+.

The right-hander has a career 4.20 ERA across his 10 seasons in the Majors, pitching in 419 games with four starts. His ERA+ is four points above the league average, striking out 410 batters in 460 2/3 innings.

How he might factor in will be seen.

The Astros figure to have a plethora of arms on paper with Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia slated to return from their long-term injuries, but as they found out this past campaign, they can never have enough contributing pitchers in the organization.

Castro could earn a spot on the Opening Day roster if he performs well during the spring, but he's certainly going to have a battle on his hands based on the way things look right now.