A Key Piece Who Could Change the Bullpen and Houston Shouldn’t Miss Out

The Houston Astros used 21 right-handed relievers during the 2026 season. Only four of them pitched more than 20 innings: AJ Blubaugh (96 innings, led the bullpen and finished with more innings than 17 of the 19 starters), Enyel De Los Santos (71 ⅓ IP), Bryan Abreu (62 ⅔ IP) and Kai-Wei Teng (29 ⅔ IP). Credit must also go to left-handers Steven Okert (67 IP), Bryan King (60 IP), Josh Hader (44 ⅔ IP) and Bennett Sousa (20 ⅓ IP), who held a significant workload.

Now, it's likely two of the right-handers with the most innings pitched out of the bullpen won't return to the team, as De Los Santos and Abreu will be free agents at the end of the season. So the Astros will have to decide how to strengthen the bullpen, since it is already clear that the 2026 formula didn't work.

Several options in free agency, so Houston could prioritize the search for starters and move some of the pitchers from the 2026 rotation to the bullpen. These are just a few ideas about how the Astros could operate if they don’t surprise us with another type of move. That said, either way, they will need relievers who can provide durability.

Well, let’s start by remembering that Okert will also be a free agent, and the Astros will have to decide on his future. I have written about how Okert has been one of the most consistent and dominant relievers in the bullpen over the past two seasons, especially during 2026. That said, Okert and Vesia would form a pretty interesting left-handed duo because of the contrast between their characteristics.

This would be key to setting the stage for Josh Hader and would change the role of other left-handers such as Bennett Sousa and Bryan King, who went through a lot of inconsistency throughout 2026.

Sousa finished with -0.1 fWAR, allowed a .361 BABIP, and his walk (4.91 BB/9) and home run (1.53 HR/9) rates were a problem throughout the season. However, nothing was more concerning than how vulnerable his arsenal was against left-handed hitters, who hit .375/.485/.554 against him. King did not escape the problems either, finishing in the 20th percentile in K% and the 4th percentile in Whiff%.

In contrast, Vesia’s presence would change the conversation quite a bit, especially because of his ability to generate swings and misses, strike out hitters more frequently, limiting hard contact. Vesia finished the season in the 99th percentile in xBA, with a .164 expected batting average, and in the 96th percentile in xSLG, with a .279 expected slugging percentage. He also finished with a 2.68 xERA.

Okert is precisely the pitcher who comes closest to Vesia’s performance among qualified relievers. If both were together in Houston and Hader maintained his role as closer, the Astros would have a pretty uncomfortable trio of left-handers for opposing hitters.