HOUSTON -- The Astros will be without one of their key bullpen weapons for at least the next 10 games after left-hander Steven Okert was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday with a right hamstring strain. Fellow southpaw Bryan King was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land.
Okert entered Friday ranked fourth in the Major Leagues with 68 appearances, all but one of which have been made in relief. In 67 2/3 innings, he had a 2.13 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP and held opponents to a .190 batting average while striking out 68 and walking only 14.
Left-hander Bennett Sousa pitched the seventh inning of Thursday’s win over the White Sox in a spot that Okert would have typically worked if he were healthy and available. Okert hasn’t pitched since Aug. 31, so he would be available to come off the injured list on Sept. 15.
Right-hander AJ Blubaugh has moved into a higher-leverage role in the bullpen in the last week, and Okert’s absence figures to create more late-game opportunities for the rookie who leads the Major Leagues in innings pitched by a reliever (86 1/3).
Among AL relievers, Okert ranked second in walks to strikeout ratio (5.15), second in WHIP (0.82), eighth in hits per nine innings (5.99) and sixth in opponents’ batting average (.176). He went 22 consecutive games/innings without allowing a walk from June 28-Aug. 16.
Most of Okert’s appearances have come in the sixth or seventh inning, where he combined to make over half (43) of his 68 appearances. Most of those came with the Astros tied (nine) or ahead (22). He is four innings shy of his career-high workload of 71 2/3 innings pitched last year.
King had a 2.03 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP through his first 38 appearances this year before things went awry. He was sent to Triple-A following a four-game stretch from July 10-19 in which he gave up eight runs, including five home runs, in five innings.
King was called back up July 26 and posted a 12.38 ERA and 2.13 WHIP in nine outings for the Astros and was sent back to Sugar Land on Aug. 21 after matching his career high with five runs and five hits allowed in 1 1/3 innings. In five appearances in Triple-A this year, he’s scoreless in 4 2/3 innings.