Joe Smith re-signs with the Astros for two more seasons

It has been roughly three long weeks since the Astros signed backup catcher Dustin Garneau to a one-year deal. If you don’t remember this news, well, I don’t blame you. In the meantime, we’ve seen Gerrit Cole trade in his majestic beard for pinstripes, Anthony Rendon’s decision to forgo his national loyalty for a heavenly one, and even more sign stealing news. This offseason hasn’t exactly been kind to the Astros for a plethora of reasons.

That said, there is a bit of positive news to report as free-agent reliever Joe Smith has agreed to keep Houston his professional home for the next two seasons. One can describe my mood towards this news as mildly pleased.

The 35-year old right-hander is scheduled to earn $8 million under this new pact, as tweeted here by Jake Kaplan of The Athletic. The Astros, in turn, manage to keep some continuity in a bullpen that still might lose a couple of key pieces via free agency. Although an Achilles injury and subsequent recovery kept Smith on the IL until mid-July, the veteran reliever posted a terrific 1.80 ERA in 25 innings this year. Smith’s slider, in particular, held opposing hitters to just a .084 wOBA last season, while the pitch’s usage rate at 41 percent represented a new career-high.

While he may not be a fearsome strikeout machine, Smith does provide quality innings in a variety of situations, thanks in part to his usually dependable groundball tendencies. The Astros have seen those results up close and personal during the past two seasons. And for a club with postseason hopes again in 2020, Smith represents a dependable option for a reliever who has never posted an ERA higher than 3.83 in his big league career.