Kendall Graveman is probably a name that you haven’t heard in quite some time. While Graveman isn’t being talked about a lot right now, here’s why Graveman heading back to the Houston Astros would make sense.
Graveman is a fascinating story as he’s always been a good but not great reliever. When looking at his numbers, they don’t really jump out except for one.
The fact that Graveman has now pitched in the MLB for 10 years. Regardless of how you feel about Graveman, being able to pitch for that long means you’re doing something right.
Graveman has been banged up recently, and at 34 years old, that doesn’t really help his appeal towards MLB teams. Regardless, here’s why the Astros could be in a position to take a shot on him.
This is a PREDICTION, not a REPORT
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Kendall Graveman Joining Houston Astros in MLB Free Agency
For Graveman, the main problem has really been staying healthy. Graveman missed all of the 2024 season, and this article details the struggles that he’s had staying healthy as of late.
When Graveman was pitching for the Arizona Diamondbacks last year, the numbers weren’t good at all. Last season, Graveman had -0.4 WAR, a 7.13 ERA, and 1.981WHIP in 19 games pitched.
As always, it’s important to head over to Baseball Savant to see if there’s something missing. In this case, that doesn’t appear to be what’s going on.
Graveman had a -6 Pitching Run Value, -3 Fastball Run Value, -3 Breaking Run Value, but an Offspeed Run Value of one. All things considered, there’s not much to hang your hat on when making a case for Graveman.
The appeal for Graveman is that the last season he pitched in more than 20 games was 2023. That year, Graveman was solid across the full season, but especially great when he was traded back to the Astros from the Chicago White Sox. That season, Graveman had 0.6 WAR, a 2.42 ERA, and 1.522 WHIP in 23 games.
Now, the reason we said traded back was that in 2021, Graveman was with the Astros as well. In 2021, Graveman had a 0.5 WAR, a 3.13 ERA, and a 1.391 WHIP over the course of 23 games. Graveman was traded from the Seattle Mariners that year.
How Kendall Graveman Fits with the Houston Astros
As of now, Craig Kimbrel is a free agent, and it would make sense for the two sides to part ways. While Graveman wouldn’t be counted on to be a prominent part of the bullpen, he could fill in that veteran role.
It makes a ton of sense for both sides. For the Astros, they would be getting a high upside player at what should be a very cheap cost. Not only that, but they’ve seen Graveman pitch well for their organization.
As for Graveman, he gets to pitch in a situation in which he’s found success in the past in order to prove himself.
Kendall Graveman Stats
Over 10 years, here’s what Graveman has done in terms of his stats. Graveman has a career 9.3 WAR, 4.03 ERA, and a 1.351 WHIP.
If the Houston Astros are expecting Kendall Graveman to come in and be a safe free agency addition, this move won’t make sense. However, if the Astros are willing to take on a bit of a risk, Graveman is the perfect candidate.