Peacock to fill long-relief role on Astros’ staff
Look no further than the man who pitched against the Astros on Wednesday for a reason as to why the team seems so intent on keeping Brad Peacock around despite the righthander’s underwhelming track record.
A year ago, right-hander Dan Straily — who started for the Miami Marlins in Wednesday’s Grapefruit League finale — was out of minor league options, meaning if the Astros didn’t include him on their opening-day roster, he would be subject to waivers. Rather than lose him for nothing, the Astros traded him to the San Diego Padres for backup catcher Erik Kratz.
After the Padres placed him on waivers, Straily ended up on the rebuilding Reds, for whom he finished with a 3.76 ERA in 191⅓ innings. The Astros, meanwhile, were depleted by starting pitching injuries to the point where they rushed up prospect David Paulino to debut in the middle of a wild-card race. (The Reds then flipped Straily in January to the Marlins for three minor leaguers, including two pitching prospects.)
The out-of-options Peacock — a former Palm Beach Central standout — came into spring training this year facing the same situation as Straily last year. Peacock will begin the season as the Astros’ long reliever.
“I suspect that that was the case,” General Manager Jeff Luhnow said when asked if the Straily scenario was a cautionary tale for the team’s handling of Peacock. “Straily (had a) similar success profile. We knew Straily had a chance to be successful, but we also knew that him making our club would be at the expense of one of our short relievers, and so that’s why we made the trade last year.
“He had a great year. I’m happy for him. But certainly when you give up excess inventory and they end up being successful, you wonder if there’s something you could’ve done to keep him.”
Enter the 29-year-old Peacock, whose chances to make the Astros’ opening-day roster increased dramatically when it became evident starter Collin McHugh would begin the season on the 10-day disabled list.
Peacock had a 4.23 ERA in 117 Triple-A innings last season but a 3.69 ERA in 31⅔ innings in the majors last August and September and he has pitched well this spring since being moved to a relief role. His breaking ball seems to play up out of the bullpen. He also recently started throwing a twoseam fastball.
The Astros will still have a decision to make once McHugh is ready to return shortly into the regular season. But their front office’s affinity for Peacock makes it far from a foregone conclusion he’s the odd man out when McHugh is activated.
“There’s no question in my mind if we made him available, he would be snapped up by another club,” Luhnow said. “I think he’s an important piece of our inventory. We all know that year in and year out you need eight, nine, 10-plus starters to get through the year, and we feel like he’s a guy that is a valuable piece to have in our arsenal.”
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