As of now, the only three players who have guaranteed bullpen spots for the Astros are Roberto Osuna, Ryan Pressly and Joe Smith. Beyond that, it’s largely an open competition for the remaining spots in the team’s relief corps. The club added one more candidate to the mix by inking veteran right-hander Jared Hughes to a minor league deal and inviting him to big league Spring Training.
Hughes, 34, has a career 2.88 ERA in 524 relief appearances across nine major league seasons. He split 2019 between the Reds and Phillies, totaling a 4.