Deng Kaiwei recognized as one of the few bright spots in Houston Astros pitching staff; US media analyzes pros and cons of converting him to starter

The Houston Astros pitching staff has been hit by a wave of injuries. The bullpen, which performed well last year, has an ERA of 5.99 this season, ranking second worst in the league. According to a report by US media FanSided, amidst this downturn there are still a few bright spots, and current relief pitcher Deng Kaiwei is one of them.

The report mentions that Deng Kaiwei was traded from the San Francisco Giants to the Astros in January, and expectations for him were not high at that time. However, he performed excellently in spring training, becoming a surprise candidate for the 26-man roster for the new season, and has now proven himself to be a valuable asset in the bullpen.

Before joining the Astros, Deng Kaiwei had an ERA as high as 7.30. His most threatening pitch is the slider/cutter, with a usage rate of 39% last year and 38% this year. Deng Kaiwei possesses five types of pitches. The Astros helped him simplify his pitch selection, increasing the usage of his sinker and four-seam fastball, while reducing the curveball and changeup to just 6% each. This has successfully yielded impressive results: this season he has pitched 13.2 innings with an ERA of only 1.98.

The report speculates that Deng Kaiwei's success might lead the Astros to consider converting him to a starting pitcher. Compared to the bullpen, the Astros' starting rotation faces more severe problems, currently with an ERA of 6.27, the worst in the league, and deeply impacted by injuries, making it quite difficult to assemble a complete starting rotation.

During his time with the Giants, Deng Kaiwei started 7 out of his 12 career appearances, and with his diverse repertoire of pitches, he indeed possesses the qualifications to be a starter. However, given the current shortage of bullpen strength, moving Deng Kaiwei out of the bullpen would be like robbing Peter to pay Paul. Such a move might provide some help, but it would also leave manager Joe Espada with one less reliable relief pitcher.

If the Astros convert Deng Kaiwei to a starter and the results are poor, it could not only affect his confidence but also potentially deprive the team of one of its few stable bullpen assets. However, this gamble could also yield greater returns. The safest approach is to let Deng Kaiwei continue in his current role, but safety does not necessarily represent the optimal choice.