Astros Place Key Reliever Okert on 15-Day IL

Because the placement was retroactive to Sept. 1, Okert is eligible to return Sept. 16. He is expected to miss at least Houston’s series against the Diamondbacks, Phillies and Rays, with 21 regular-season games remaining when the move was announced.

Manager Joe Espada has frequently used Okert as a “stopper,” bringing him into games to halt opposing rallies regardless of the inning, rather than limiting him to a fixed setup role.

Despite some regression indicators—a .226 batting average on balls in play and an 86.5% strand rate—Okert’s 26.1% strikeout rate and 5.4% walk rate were better than league average; his 3.23 FIP and 3.33 SIERA still indicated quality performance.

Bryan King’s 4.75 season ERA followed a sharp midseason downturn: after posting a 2.03 ERA through July 7, he recorded a 13.15 ERA afterward and was optioned to the minors twice. He had allowed at least one home run in four consecutive outings before his demotion.