The Houston Astros used 21 right-handed relievers during the 2026 season. Only four of them pitched more than 20 innings: AJ Blubaugh (96 innings, led the bullpen and finished with more innings than 17 of the 19 starters), Enyel De Los Santos (71 ⅓ IP), Bryan Abreu (62 ⅔ IP) and Kai-Wei Teng (29 ⅔ IP). Credit must also go to left-handers Steven Okert (67 IP), Bryan King (60 IP), Josh Hader (44 ⅔ IP) and Bennett Sousa (20 ⅓ IP), who held a significant workload.

Now, it's likely two of the right-handers with the most innings pitched out of the bullpen won't return to the team, as De Los Santos and Abreu will be free agents at the end of the season. So the Astros will have to decide how to strengthen the bullpen, since it is already clear that the 2026 formula didn't work.

Several options in free agency, so Houston could prioritize the search for starters and move some of the pitchers from the 2026 rotation to the bullpen.…