After missing their entire playoff run last season, one Houston Astros pitcher is set to miss all of next season as well.
Astros GM Dana Brown made the tough announcement on Tuesday that reliever Kendall Graveman has undergone surgery on his right shoulder. Graveman is now expected to miss the entire 2024 campaign as a result.
Graveman, 33, is a journeyman who has played for five different MLB teams in less than a decade. But he emerged as a productive arm in the bullpen for the Astros last season after being acquired at the trade deadline (marking Graveman’s second career stint with the Astros). Graveman posted a 2.42 ERA with 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings over 23 relief appearances. The shoulder issue sprung up on Graveman in October though, and he didn’t pitch in a single postseason game a result.
The veteran Graveman would have been an important arm out of Houston’s bullpen next season, especially with fellow righties Phil Maton and Hector Neris hitting free agency this offseason. Instead, the Astros, who recently took a blow on the other side of the ball too, may now have to bring in an outside option.
