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The Houston Astros have claimed right-handed pitcher Oliver Ortega from the Minnesota Twins. He will remain on the 60-day injured list as he recovers from a left lumbar strain he suffered in August.
This season, he appeared in ten games for the Twins, compiling a 4.30 ERA over 14.2 innings of work. While the numbers are nothing to write home about, he will be an excellent addition to Houston's bullpen.
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This will be Ortega's third team since he entered the league in 2021. He started his journey with the Los Angeles Angels after they signed him as an international free agent in 2015.
After the 2022 season, he was claimed off waivers by the Twins. He spent most of his time with the Triple-A affiliate St. Paul Saints last season. He only logged ten games before coming down with the lumbar strain that ended his season.
"Depth already being built.. Maybe the Maton role, if the Astros bring back Phil to become more of a middle reliever/High leverage guy?" one fan posted.
"Dana already making an impact, love this move," another fan posted.
Astros fans are happy to see the team already making moves just days after their season ended.
Oliver Ortega will have to get and stay healthy to make an impact next season, but he has a high upside. Also, Houston has an excellent track record of molding pitchers into being efficient.
The Astros may have gotten a steal with Oliver Ortega
Oliver Ortega has been putting up solid numbers in the minors. This season with the St. Paul Saints, he appeared in 24 games, posting a 1.82 ERA on 34.2 innings of work.
He generates a ton of swing-and-miss stuff with his fastball and curveball combination. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, but he has flashed high-90s in the past. His curveball has a big break and keeps hitters off balance.
One thing he will have to work on is his control. Last year, he had a 4.6 walk rate per nine innings. That is something that cannot happen when you are a relief pitcher.
If he can improve in that area, he will be a steal for the Houston Astros. They already have a solid bullpen with Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu. This will be an icing on the cake for the team.
