Астрос усиливают буллпен подписанием Тома Коскроува

In an effort to bolster their bullpen, the Houston Astros have secured left-handed reliever Tom Cosgrove on a minor league contract, including an invite to the Major League Baseball spring training camp. Renowned sports journalist Jon Heyman of The New York Post first reported the agreement, which includes a potential $900K payout if Cosgrove makes it to the major league roster. Cosgrove's journey in the MLB began with the San Diego Padres, where he showcased promising potential in his rookie season, recording an impressive 1.75 ERA across 51 1/3 innings in the 2023 season. Despite these early successes, his performance waned in subsequent years, with the Padres eventually designating him for assignment after he struggled in the 2024 season, conceding 19 runs in 14 2/3 innings. His career took a brief turn with the Chicago Cubs, where he made only two major league appearances, pitching four innings with a 4.53 ERA over 49 2/3 Triple-A innings in the 2024 season. Despite striking out a quarter of batters, his control issues persisted with walks issued to nearly 13% of hitters faced. By the culmination of the 2024 season, Cosgrove opted for minor league free agency, opening the door for the Astros to bring him aboard as a southpaw—an essential addition considering their historically limited left-handed relief depth. Even so, the current Astros bullpen, featuring notable arms like Josh Hader, Steven Okert, and Bennett Sousa coming off stellar seasons, makes Cosgrove's climb to an Opening Day role a challenging prospect unless an unlikely scenario of multiple injuries occurs. With all prior non-roster invitees being right-handed, the inclusion of a lefty such as Cosgrove provides valuable diversity and insurance for the Astros as they approach the new season and eye another competitive run.