Bolsters rotation bidBielak allowed two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings in Saturday's spring game against the Cardinals.ImpactSince he allowed four runs in the first inning of his first Grapefruit League outing, Bielak has made an impressive bid for a roster spot. In 11 subsequent innings, Bielak has allowed four runs on six hits and two walks while striking out 11. The right-hander upped his pitch count to 70 (44 strikes) while St. Louis batters flailed away at this slider (nine swing-and-misses), a pitch he spent considerable work on during the offseason, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. He could fill a couple of roles for Houston early in the season. Bielak could be a traditional starter until Jake Odorizzi is ready, or he can work in a multi-inning relief for Cristian Javier and/or Luis Garcia, a pair of starters who are not stretched out due to quarantine periods for health and safety protocols.
MARCH 21, 2021•ROTOWIRE
