Brent Strom was bad at retirement. Now he's trying to help right Astros' pitching in a playoff race
The Astros brought back their former pitching coach for a short playoff push. Brent Strom already sees areas where they can improve.
Brent Strom, a former pitching coach for the Houston Astros, has returned to the team as a pitching consultant to help improve their pitching performance during the playoffs. The 77-year-old former coach expressed that his retirement job was the most challenging he has ever had. He joined the Astros after being contacted by senior advisor Jeff Bagwell, who asked him to join the team as a consultant for the remainder of the season.
Houston's pitching staff has struggled in the season, with a 4.64 ERA, ranking sixth highest in the majors. Strom aims to bring a fresh perspective to the pitching staff, helping them improve their first-pitch strike percentage and walk rate. Former teammates and pitchers, such as Bryan Abreu and Cristian Javier, have expressed enthusiasm for Strom's return.
Astros manager Joe Espada highlighted Strom's value as a "fresh set of eyes" for the pitching staff, emphasizing that his role is to complement the existing coaching staff and provide additional insight.
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