The Astros announced that they have placed a right-handed reliever Joe Biagini on the 10-day disabled list due to shoulder pain and, in a corresponding move, selected the right-handed contract Andre Scrubb from their alternative training site.
Biagini, 30, averaged 94.5 mph on his fastball as a 2018-19 reliever, but he left the gates in 2020 averaging a 92.6 mph decrease on that heater. He allowed a two-hit run with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning in his only 2020 outing. Biagini struggled in his time with the ‘Stros last year, but had a 3.78 ERA with one strikeout per inning and one control. solid in 50 frames before being traded from Toronto to Houston.
Scrubb, 25, has yet to advance to Triple-A, but will now jump straight into the big leagues. Houston acquired it in the 2019 exchange that shipped Tyler White to the Dodgers. He split last year between Double A affiliates for Houston and LA, throwing a combined 2.78 ERA with 10.6 K / 9 versus 4.6 BB / 9. He is not among the organization’s top-ranked prospects, but his solid performance in Double A last year brought him to the team’s 60-player pool (and now on the 40-man roster).
With Scrubb joining the bullpen and Bigaini landing on the disabled list, the Houston bullpen now has an incredible seven pitchers who entered the season without even a day of MLB experience. In addition to Biagini, the Astros also have Brad Peacock, Austin Pruitt, Rogelio Armenteros, Justin Verlander and Jose Urquidy on the disabled list right now. Given the increasing number of injuries, it is not difficult to see why the club is seeking an in-depth collection of Fernando Rodney, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the ‘Stros made some similar additions in the near future.
