The Orioles announced this morning that they’ve traded right-hander Hector Velazquez to the Astros in exchange for a player to be named later. Baltimore had outrighted Velazquez off its 40-man roster just prior to Opening Day.
Velazquez, 31, spent the past three seasons with the Red Sox, throwing well from 2017-18 before stumbling to a 5.43 ERA in 56 frames in 2019. He’d previously logged a 3.12 ERA in 109 2/3 MLB frames, with averages of 5.9 strikeouts, 2.7 walks and 0.9 home runs per nine innings. The righty’s low strikeout right and lofty 80.7 percent strand rate prompted fielding-independent metrics to treat that ERA with some skepticism, but even metrics like FIP (4.24), SIERA (4.54) felt he was at least a passable option.
Things deteriorated last year for Velazquez when his walk and home run rates spiked. His strand rate not only regressed toward the league average (72.3 percent) but blew right by it and swung toward another extreme: 61.9 percent. Velazquez doesn’t miss many bats, but he can generate grounders with a low-spin sinker when at his best, as evidenced by a near-50 percent grounder rate in 2018.
It’s a necessary depth move for an Astros club that has been hammered by injuries on the pitching staff. Houston currently has nine rookies on its staff, including seven relievers who hadn’t accrued a single day of MLB service prior to Opening Day. It’s not clear whether Velazquez will be selected directly to the Major League roster, although given the sheer inexperience that currently permeates the Houston roster, there’d seem to be a decent chance that Velazquez will be called up in the near future.
George Springer no doubt
Ahem…
Trashcan
When the orioles have a team ops over .900 this year, we will know why
Vincent’s brother?
Nope. Last names are spelled differently too. Velasquez/Velazquez
I think you we’re the only one that noticed. But good job anyway.
Red Sox didnt want him back?
i’m guessing youre trolling as usual… but I’m actually mildly surprised they didn’t. I mean he’s at least proven he can eat innings and the way their rotation looks right now… that’s something they could use.
im not. its amazing to me tjey didnt even claim him back before. he’d be the 2nd best SP on the staff by miles.
There’s no way they would bring him back. He is a known entity. They’ve tried him. There’s a gazillion Fringe guys out there to try that might catch lightning in a bottle for one season.
They’re running guys out there from the waiver wire as it is why bring Hector Velazquez back? Sure it’s about eating Innings but you don’t just settle for that. A new guy can eat innings for a start and then if he fails roll another guy out there. There’s plenty of stories of a guy with a career 5.00 era who will come in and have that one great season.
Even if Astros cheat again this year, maybe just the playoffs. No World Series. Early lst round exit. Which everyone wants except for them. Is it to late to say I’m sorry?
Velazquez job is to bang the trash cans. Cora taught him how to do in out of the pen that last 2 years.
(By the end of this season):
-Cy Young award
– MVP
– Roberto Clemente award
– Comeback player of the year
If anyone could it’d be the Astros
Sweeet, bro!
Yankee batters salivating over this move lol
The Astros bullpen was already bad before this move so I’m sure the Yankees were already salivating.
Wonder if the orioles are trying to get Brandon Bailey back
I don’t know much about the guy, but I trust our staff to get the most out of him. We need as many arms as we can get. I’m hoping we can trade for another top of the line starter, but with practically every team having a chance to compete this year it won’t be easy. Hopefully Verlander can come back this year.