Houston Astros pitching depth chart: What could their bullpen look like following Caleb Ferguson’s trade?

On Tuesday, with the MLB Trade deadline coming to a close, the Houston Astros traded with the New York Yankees to acquire relief pitcher Caleb Ferguson. Houston sent Kelly Austin and $750K in bonus pool money to get the lefty.

Ferguson struggled to get things going in the Bronx after the Yankees acquired him from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason. Through 42 appearances, he holds a 5.13 ERA, but the 'Stros see something they like in him.

Acquiring Ferguson also gives Houston another lefty to add to their stable. While this is not a league-altering move, it could really help the Astros stabilize their bullpen during the second half.

Houston Astros bullpen with Caleb Ferguson

The Astros have had problems with their pitching staff all season long. From starters to the bullpen, it has been a shaky first half for the defending American League West champions.

Injuries have been a big part of this, but uninspiring performances have also been the cause. Josh Hader had a rough performance on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, leading to a tough loss.

The addition of Caleb Ferguson could bolster this bullpen, especially with his whiff rates this season. However, he does need to work on his home run rate which has ballooned up this year.

Here is what the updated Houston bullpen could look like:

Kaleb Ort

Tayler Scott

Seth Martinez

Caleb Ferguson

Bryan Abreu

Rafael Montero

Ryan Pressly

Josh Hader

Houston could use Ferguson in a lower-leverage spot as Pressly and Abreu have been impressive this year working in high-leverage situations.

As a lefty, being able to get both lefties and righties out is huge. He will have plenty of chances to get some innings in as Houston battles with the Seattle Mariners to stay atop the American League West.

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