Bryan

Abreu

Bryan King started the ninth inning after throwing nine pitches in the eighth. He retired the first two batters of the final frame before allowing a single to Orlando Arcia that forced him out of the game. Abreu came in and promptly hit Luke Keaschall and then threw a wild pitch to get runners on second and third. However, he responded by getting Byron Buxton to foul out to third base to end the game and secure his third save of the season. It hasn’t been easy, but Abreu is pitching better of late and is clearly back in the saves mix until Josh Hader returns in a few weeks.

It took both Enyel De Los Santos and Bryan King to get though the seventh tonight. AJ Blubaugh opened the eighth with two consecutive outs, but he then walked two in a row to get Abreu into the game. Abreu got Justin Foscue to fly out to end the rally and then worked a scoreless ninth while giving up a walk and a single. In all, three of the four outs Abreu recorded came on hard-hit balls. He might earn another save or two before Josh Hader returns, but he hardly seems worth picking up in mixed leagues at this point.

Abreu entered the day with a 12.54 ERA, and his velocity in this one was about as bad as it’s been this season; he averaged 93.5 mph with this fastball, 1.6 mph off his season average and 3.8 mph less than his 2025 average. Still, he was more than a match for the punchless Red Sox. The one hit he gave up was an infield single that was originally ruled a double-error on Abreu; he failed to pick up Willson Contreras’s dribbler on the first try and then threw the ball past the first baseman to allow Contreras to take second. No matter, though, since Roman Anthony had a horrendous at-bat afterwards. The Astros still shouldn’t have much faith at all in Abreu. He only pitched in the tight situation today because everyone else was tired.

Bryan Abreu probably could have handled this one just fine, but he was instead utilized in getting four outs in the seventh and eighth. De Los Santos then retired Brett Sullivan, Edouard Julien and Brenton Doyle with a two-run lead in the ninth. With Josh Hader hopefully three weeks or so away, none of the Astros’ ninth-inning alternatives seem worth rostering in shallow leagues at this point.

Bryan King had come into the game with two runners on and one out in the eighth inning. He allowed a run in on a hit before getting out of the jam with a one-run lead. King was given the opportunity to close out the ninth, but gave up two hits with two outs before he was pulled at 28 pitches. De Los Santos came in for the final out to record the save. Bryan Abreu had pitched in two of the last three days, totaling 50 pitches. He’ll likely get lower leverage work until he shows improvement. King is still the best bet for save chances at the moment, at least until either Abreu gets right or Hader returns from the injured list.

Abreu came in to pitch in the eighth inning in a game that the Astros were trailing 6-1, so this was the definition of a “get right” appearance. He did allow a hit and a walk, but any success is worth noting when you enter a game with a 20.25 ERA. Abreu has now worked in back-to-back games, so there’s a good chance he won’t be asked to work Monday if there’s a save situation.

Abreu has been awful to begin the 2026 season, and it just continued Saturday. He walked three, and while he did pick up a strikeout, he gave up a scorching line drive to J.P. Crawford with the bases loaded to take the loss. His ERA is now a reprehensible 20.25, and no matter how small the sample, it’s at least a smidgen concerning. Josh Hader isn’t far behind, and to say he doesn’t have to worry about his closer job being usurped is an understatement. Not now, anyway.

Troy Johnston singled in a run after the two walks. Abreu’s velocity remains down 1-1.5 mph from last year, but his lack of command seems like the bigger problem at this point. He’s allowed a run in all five of his appearances, and he’s far from assured of getting the ninth next time the Astros need a closer.

Hader has been on the shelf since spring training recovering from biceps tendinitis and is still in the early stages of his throwing progression. He figures to be cleared to start a minor league rehab assignment after a couple live batting practice sessions. There haven’t been a ton of save chances in Houston so far with Bryan Abreu and Bryan King seemingly in the driver’s seat until Hader is ready to return at some point next month.

Abreu was handed a one-run lead in the bottom of the 10th, and it was evaporated on a three-run blast by Brent Rooker that gave the A’s the win and Abreu the loss and blown save. It’s very early, but the 28-year-old has been atrocious to begin the year with an unseemly 23.63 ERA over the first 10 games. One has to wonder if Abreu will get the next save chance for Houston, or if they’ll try and get him right in a lower-leverage situation.