After the recent update that Justin Verlander will have to hit the IL due to a neck injury, the Houston Astros may look to a prospect in their minor league system, namely Jake Bloss, for some starting pitching help.
Astros Could Turn to Prospect Jake Bloss After Verlander Injury
Youth Could Provide a Spark
After getting off to a slow start, the Astros could use another prospect to inject some energy into the clubhouse. The Astros scratched Justin Verlander from his June 15th start against the Tigers with neck discomfort. The Astros were initially hoping for Verlander to miss one start, but he has since been placed on the IL, and reliever Nick Hernandez has been called up in his place. Since Verlander is unable to literally stick his neck out for his team, the Astros will need to find another way to deal with a rotation that has already been bit hard by the injury bug. In order to keep the season from spiraling out of control, the Astros may need to dig deeper into their system and call up a prospect who has been lighting up Double-A hitters.
Enter Jake Bloss
After being taken in the 3rd round of the 2023 draft, Jake Bloss has done nothing but become “Jake Boss” on the mound. He has managed to strike out 8.7 batters per 9 innings this year, with a WHIP at 0.823 and an ERA of 1.74. He also recently threw the first 6 1/3 innings of a combined no-hitter at Double-A Corpus Christi this past Saturday.
6 1/3 innings of no-hit, shutout baseball by Jake Bloss tonight.
Bloss, who struck out 6 against 3 walks, owns a 1.61 ERA in 8 Double-A starts pic.twitter.com/ewvKRi7lxK
— Corpus Christi Hooks (@cchooks) June 16, 2024
While it would be unusual for someone to progress so quickly through the minor league system, it is not without precedent. Several MLB players have made it to the major leagues in less time, and it’s usually a combination of the prospect’s ability and the team’s needs. For the Astros, the need for starting pitching is great. Combine that with the fact that college athletes tend to need less polishing in the minors and Jake Bloss, a recent graduate of Georgetown University, might be the prospect this team needs.
The Astros Have Taken Notice of Their Rising Prospect
Astros GM Dana Brown has noticed the noise Bloss is making in the minors. According to Chandler Rome of The Athletic, Brown has said, “I’m not afraid to move guys fast. He’s proving to us he can throw strikes, he’s got power stuff and he can log innings. If he continues to progress, you never know. Our rotation has been beaten up a bit. I’ve been paying a lot of attention to Bloss.”
This statement from Dana Brown is telling. If he wants the team to be buyers rather than sellers by the trade deadline, the Astros need to rely on their organizational depth. With Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr., Jose Urquidy, and J.P. France on the IL, the Astros need strong pitching from the depths of their system. Jake Bloss fits the bill. With Verlander’s neck issues sending him to the IL, the question becomes: Is it time to turn to Jake Bloss? Nick Hernandez has been effective in limited action with the Astros, but he’s primarily a reliever. Look for the Astros to make another move in the coming days to cover Verlander’s spot in the rotation.
If the Astros decide to call up Jake Bloss and he continues to pitch in the majors as he has in the minors, we can christen him “Jake Boss.” If not, Astros fans might as well join Verlander on the IL, since this season has been a pain in the neck.
Photo Credit: © Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
