3 Reasons Why the Rangers Had a Better Trade Deadline Than the Astros
By Tyler Maher
3. The Rangers Got The Better Bullpen Piece
In addition to their splashy trades for aces, the Rangers and Astros also added some bullpen help. Texas received Chris Stratton from St. Louis in the Montgomery deal, while Houston landed Kendall Graveman from the White Sox.
As 32-year-old right-handed relievers, Stratton and Graveman are pretty comparable. However, I think Stratton is better and will provide a bigger boost to the Rangers' bullpen down the stretch.
That may not seem obvious at first glance, as Graveman has a significantly better ERA. In fact, it's nearly a full run better (3.40 to 4.36).
Stratton's peripherals are more impressive, however, suggesting he'll be the superior pitcher the rest of the way. He owns a lower WHIP (1.17 to 1.22), a higher strikeout rate (9.9 K/9 to 8.6 K/9), and a much better FIP (3.05 to 4.83).
In other words, Graveman is due for some serious regression, while Stratton should only get better. These additions aren't as impactful as Scherzer and Verlander, of course, but Texas got the better arm in my opinion.
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