Astros Take Rule 5 Flier On Anthony Gose

Since veteran Tony Sipp began to decline in 2016, the Astros have lacked a reliable lefthander in their bullpen.

And while their latest attempt to fill the void seems unlikely to pan out, it will make for an intriguing storyline to follow in spring training.

Houston took a flier in the Rule 5 draft on Anthony Gose, a converted outfielder who they plan to deploy as a lefthanded pitcher. The 27-year-old began the conversion in 2017, when he pitched 10.2 innings for the Tigers’ high Class A affiliate in the Florida State League.

In his 11-outing sample as a pitcher, Gose ran up a 7.59 ERA and issued six walks against 14 strikeouts. The Astros are betting on his raw stuff, which they maintained was the best available in the 2017 Rule 5 draft. They selected Gose from the Rangers, who had only recently signed him as a minor league free agent.

“We think his stuff is outstanding,” said special assistant Kevin Goldstein, who runs the Astros’ Rule 5 effort. “And we think that combined with just the athleticism that he has—he was a really toolsy center fielder—gives him a better chance to take the big step forward that is going to be necessary for him to make this team.”

Gose was the Phillies’ second-round pick in 2008 out of Bellflower (Calif.) High. Philadelphia traded Gose to the Astros in July 2010 as part of the package to acquire Roy Oswalt, but Houston quickly flipped him to the Blue Jays for Brett Wallace. Toronto dealt him to Detroit in 2014 for Devon Travis.

In parts of five big league seasons, the lefthanded-batting Gose hit .240/.309/.348. The Astros scouted him as a pitcher in the FSL in 2017 and also evaluated him on video. Gose, who pitched in high school, supplements a power fastball with a curveball.

“He throws upper 90s with a massive power breaking ball, a real knee buckler that has velocity and depth,” Goldstein said.

Unless the Astros acquire another lefthanded reliever, Gose will enter spring training as one of three on the 40-man roster. Sipp will be afforded another chance, while the other, Reymin Guduan, is likely to begin the season at Triple-a Fresno.