Teng Kai-wei to Play Key Role Amid Houston Astros’ Pitching Woes

Houston: Houston Astros pitcher Teng Kai-wei, the only active Taiwanese player in Major League Baseball (MLB), is set to take on an expanded role as the team grapples with a pitching staff beset by injuries, announced the team's general manager. According to Focus Taiwan, Dana Brown, who assumed the role of Astros general manager in 2023, shared on a radio show before Sunday's away game against the Seattle Mariners that the team intends to rely more heavily on its bullpen pitchers, including Teng. Brown mentioned, "We feel like we have some depth now that's currently in our bullpen. We're going to have to potentially stretch out (Ryan) Weiss and potentially stretch out Teng (Kai-wei)," highlighting the organization's decision to sign several pitchers during the offseason. Teng, who was traded from the San Francisco Giants to the Astros in January, has been contributing from the bullpen throughout his six appearances this season. Over 8 1/3 innings pitched, the 27-year-old Taiwanese pitcher has recorded nine strikeouts, allowed two earned runs on two home runs, and issued two walks, showcasing improved control. He currently holds the second-best earned run average (ERA) in the Astros bullpen at 2.13, just behind Bryan King's 1.35. Brown's comments came ahead of the ninth game of the Astros' 10-game road trip, which concluded with a 6-1 loss, marking the team's seventh consecutive defeat. The Astros fell to a 6-10 record, placing them last in the American League West, trailing the 7-9 Mariners by one game. More concerning for Houston than the loss was the early exit of starter Cody Bolton due to mid-back tightness. Bolton was pulled in the second inning after walking three straight batters without getting an out. Bolton, who had been exclusively a reliever since his MLB debut in 2023, made his first major league start on April 6 against the Colorado Rockies and was subsequently listed as day-to-day. The Astros have already placed three starting pitchers on the injured list since the road trip began on April 4, including Hunter Brown, who was diagnosed with a Grade 2 right shoulder strain and will be unable to pitch for several weeks. The list of injured pitchers could grow with Tatsuya Imai awaiting further evaluation, in addition to Brandon Walter and Hayden Wesneski, who were placed on the 60-day injured list in late March. Despite the challenges, this scenario presents Teng with an opportunity to demonstrate his capability for longer outings. In 2025, Teng started seven of his eight games with the Giants after serving as a long reliever during a four-game stint in the majors in 2024. During a mid-March spring training game, Teng made one start, pitching three innings, conceding one run, and striking out two on 49 pitches.