The Houston Astros are cruising in the American League West with a 52-35 record. While their clubhouse has celebrated historic moments like Jose Altuve passing Hall of Famer Jeff Bagwell on the team’s all-time hits list, their pitching has also been the talk of the town with Hunter Brown and Josh Hader sweeping June’s league awards. However, a large issue presents itself.

As many as 14 of the Astros’ players are currently on the injured list, which is a test of their roster depth. But amid the chaos, the front office has now made a quiet and calculated move. In a pragmatic move, they have added a familiar arm to the system without rocking the boat. Any guesses? Well, it’s Tayler Scott.

“The Astros re-signed reliever Tayler Scott to a minor-league deal. He’s with Triple-A Sugar Land,” Chandler Rome of The Athletic posted on X.

Tayler Scott’s recent career progression has been nothing short of a rollercoaster. In 2024, he was a bullpen mainstay for the Astros, earning 62 appearances and emerging as a significant asset. However, the magic didn’t last. Following the 2024 season, Houston designated him for assignment after a rough start to the season, where he posted a 5.40 ERA in 17 games.

After that, he had a short stint with the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he pitched 9 innings, giving up nine earned runs. That led to his release, bringing him full circle back to the Astros organization on July 4.

This reunion goes beyond the surface numbers. In the traditional sense, the 2024 season with the Astros was a success for Scott. He achieved a sparkling ERA of 2.23 over 68.2 innings and was a reliable workhorse for the club. But it’s worth noting that he enjoyed an unsustainably low .230 BABIP as well.

The Astros reckon the veteran could be of use again this season despite his recent struggles, which makes his return all the more interesting.

The Astros’ recipe for success: A dominant pitching staff and a strong bullpen

The Astros’ success is built on a foundation of dominant pitching. They have the fifth-best team ERA (3.52) this season and they lead the league with 849 strikeouts. Hunter Brown, in particular, has been a revelation, spearheading the American League with a spectacular 1.82 ERA. Framber Valdez has been his usual excellent self as well, posting a 2.72 ERA.

However, the rotation has been hit hard by injuries. Crucial pitchers like Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti are on the 60-day IL, straining team resources.

The bullpen has been the signature strength of the Astros, featuring the best back-end duo in the sport. Closer Josh Hader is a perfect 24-for-24 in save chances, a new franchise record. Setup man Bryan Abreu has been just as untouchable with a 1.59 ERA. While these stars shine bright, the mid-innings have started to show some cracks, exposing a need for reliable depth.

But, why would you sign a struggling reliever when your bullpen is already elite? Well, it’s not about today’s big-league roster—it’s about providing a safety net for tomorrow. Houston’s pitching depth has been decimated with injuries. The bullpen has also felt the pinch, losing a key arm in Shawn Dubin and his stellar 1.33 ERA to the IL.

Also, while Houston’s bullpen ranks among the best [2nd in ERA (3.28), top-tier in SIERRA, K/9, strikeout rate, and one‑run game performance], that success is heavily reliant on late-inning stars like Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu.

Now, the Astros front office is aware that Scott’s remarkable 2.23 ERA in 2024 is a deceptive figure. His BABIP (Batting Average on Balls in Play) during that season was an unreasonably low .230, coupled with him stranding more than 84.9% of the runners on base.

There’s another notable metric —Fielding Independent Pitching, that calculates a pitcher’s ERA based on outcomes they control (strikeouts, walks, home runs). For Scott, his FIP in 2024 was 4.16 – almost 2 full runs higher than his ERA.

But the Astros see a pitcher whose signing is a zero-risk, high-familiarity depth play. The minor league contract is the key, as it costs the team nothing and doesn’t require a precious 40-man roster spot. With 14 players on the injured list, that flexibility is priceless.