Key Astros pitcher left off ALCS roster due to injury

The Houston Astros will have to win at least four more games without one key arm.

Astros manager Dusty Baker revealed to reporters on Saturday that reliever Kendall Graveman has been left off the roster for the ALCS, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. 

Graveman is battling right shoulder discomfort and “has not improved,” Baker adds.

The 32-year-old Graveman returned for his second career stint with the Astros via a July trade with the Chicago White Sox. He looked really good for Houston through the last two months of the regular season, going 2-2 with a 2.42 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 23 relief appearances. 

But Graveman had the shoulder discomfort creep up on him in early October and was left off the ALDS roster against the Minnesota Twins as a result. Now Graveman still isn’t ready and will have to target a potential return in the World Series if Houston can get that far.

The Astros, who begin the ALCS against the Texas Rangers on Sunday, have other impactful righties out of their bullpen like Bryan Abreu, Hector Neris, Phil Maton, and Rafael Montero. 

But it will have to be all hands on deck for them, especially with how well the Rangers are swinging the bat right now.