Astros Hope to Have Zack Greinke Back at Some Point in the Postseason

Zack Greinke with Houston Astros in July. Photo by Prentice C James/CSM/Shutterstock (10723409u)

Houston Astros are on the verge of making it to the American League Championship Series, needing just one more win in a matchup against the Oakland A’s. And if Astros end up getting there, they will get some additional help on the mound with the return of All-Star pitcher Zack Greinke.

Greinke hasn’t pitched for Houston since late September when he started Game 1 of the wild-card series against the Minnesota Twins. The 36-year-old former Cy Young winner experienced “some soreness in his arm” at the time and wasn’t able to contribute to the Astros’ postseason run since then.

However, according to the team’s manager Dusty Baker, Greinke isn’t lost for the playoffs, and he is expected to make a contribution soon. His arm is “structurally sound” but he still needs a bit more time to get into a rhythm.

Zack Greinke played 12 games in the regular season, posting a 3-3 record with a 4.03 ERA and 67 strikeouts. Greinke, who is a six-time All-Star, had a 2.25 ERA and had one strikeout before leaving the game against the Twins.

Despite missing Greinke, Houston Astros had a dominant run in the 2020 MLB season so far, winning four of their first four playoff games. Astros’ only loss came on Wednesday night when Athletics’ cut into their 2-1 series lead with a 7-9 win.