'You want as many veterans as possible': Astros mull Greinke as reliever in postseason

Veteran hurler Zack Greinke could soon find himself cast in a new role for the Houston Astros.

Manager Dusty Baker recently told MLB.com there’s a “distinct possibility” Greinke could be pitching out of the bullpen when the Astros open the playoffs next week.

Currently, on the 10-day injured list with a sore neck, Greinke recently told reporters he’d be open to any role the team may need him in come October.

“It is something we talked about, and maybe his idea to try to help us,” Baker said. “He’s not stretched out to start. That’s a very distinct possibility.”

The 37-year-old right-hander recently threw his second bullpen session and is scheduled to pitch a rehab outing for Triple-A Sugar Land. He last pitched out of the bullpen for the Kansas City Royals in 2007.

“You kind of have to limit [the] expectations of how much I can pitch in the near future,” Greinke recently told reporters. “Lucky, we’ve got a lot of good pitchers on our team. I might still be able to help in a smaller fashion, but still be just as valuable, hopefully.”

While the Astros haven’t announced their postseason rotation, Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia and José Urquidy probably all figure into the mix.

With Greinke still chasing his first World Series ring, Baker thinks the Astros could certainly use him.

“During playoff time, you want as many veterans as possible who have been there,” he said. “Plus, I’ve noticed over the years, guys that mix it up when the hitters are pretty amped up, it’s to their advantage. .As long as he’s ready and had enough time to warm up, he could be very valuable.”