Reports: Astros have strenghtened their roster with the addition of yet another seasoned superstar……Read more

An appearance in the postseason is something that the Houston Astros are striving to accomplish this year. In spite of the fact that they have encountered more than their share of challenges, they have managed to find a way to continue to be in the running for the playoffs.

At the moment, they are in the lead in the race for the American League West division. They have the impression of being a team that has the potential to be a sleeper contender if they are able to get vital players like Kyle Tucker and Justin Verlander back in good condition.

Despite the fact that the 2024 season is still the primary emphasis, it is never too early to start thinking about the offseason.

During this summer, the Astros will need to focus on improving their starting pitchers more than anything else.

Both Verlander and Yusei Kikuchi, who was only recently acquired, are expected to enter the free agency market in the near future. It is possible that Houston will need to go out on the market in order to acquire additional starting pitchers, and there is one identity in particular that they ought to explore.

Despite the fact that Shane Bieber has been absent from all but two games during the 2024 season with the Cleveland Guardians, the Astros would be quite interested in signing him if he were to become available free agent.

A Tommy John operation was performed on Justin Bieber’s elbow not too long ago. Nevertheless, when he is in good health, he is among the top pitchers in the sport of baseball.

In the two starts that he has made for the Guardians this season, he has a record of 2-0, with a 0.00 earned run average, 10 hits allowed, one walk, 20 strikeouts, and 12 innings worked. Despite the fact that that is a rather tiny sample size, he appeared to be very dominant.

While playing for Cleveland in the previous season, Bieber started 21 games. Along with a record of 6-6, he also had a 3.80 earned run average, a 1.23 WHIP, a 3.1 strikeout-to-batter ratio, and a total of 128.0 innings pitched. Despite the fact that he has had somewhat more successful seasons throughout his career, those numbers were still rather respectable and would be a welcome addition to the Houston rotation.

At the age of 29, he would be an excellent candidate for a two-year contract. In that way, he would have the opportunity to recover from his injury and return to the playing field.

Should he be able to demonstrate to the Astros that he is capable of returning to full health and making a significant impact during the course of his two-year deal, Houston may then make efforts to sign him on a permanent basis.

During the offseason, it is anticipated that the Astros will be a very active team. In addition to Alex Bregman, Verlander will be eligible for free agency. There are a lot of people who anticipate seeing Kyle Tucker while he is on the trade market.

It is reasonable to anticipate that Houston will take a proactive approach to the offseason. They want to get back into the running for the World Series, and taking certain risks with players like Justin Bieber could help them move closer to achieving that goal in the long run.