Bryan King’s Fastball Is Doing All the Talking
Rule 5 pick. Tommy John survivor. And quietly becoming one of the most trusted arms in the Astros bullpen.
Fun fact: Astros pitchers have held opponents to a .182 average through 13 games this season. That’s the lowest by any team to start a season since the 1981 Oakland A’s, who held hitters to .176. A big reason for that? Bryan King.
King didn’t show up with hype. He wasn’t on prospect lists. He wasn’t a spring training standout. But eight games into 2025, he hasn’t allowed a run. And Joe Espada already trusts him in tight spots.
The lefty has thrown 7.1 scoreless innings with 13 strikeouts and only two walks. The numbers speak for themselves, but it’s the way he’s doing it that stands out.
He’s throwing his four-seam fastball 68 percent of the time. It sits at 92 miles per hour with some natural cut. Hitters haven’t touched it…literally. They’re 0-for-15 with seven strikeouts. It’s not overpowering, but it plays up thanks to a clean release and deceptive movement. He lands it consistently, works up in the zone, and gets on hitters before they’re ready.
The slider comes in around 79. He uses it about a quarter of the time, and it’s been just as dominant. Opponents are 0-for-6 with four strikeouts against it. It plays off the fastball and gives him a second reliable weapon, especially against righties.
He’ll mix in a sinker now and then at 91. It’s not central to his mix, but it gives a different look when he needs it.
2025 Pitch Mix
Four-Seam Fastball: 92 mph | 68% usage | .000 BAA | 37.5% strikeout rate
Slider: 79 mph | 24% usage | .000 BAA | 66.7% strikeout rate
Sinker: 91 mph | 8% usage | used sparingly
What he’s doing isn’t flashy. He’s pounding the zone, trusting his stuff, and staying calm in leverage. And right now, that’s exactly what Houston’s bullpen needs.
The Rule 5 Pickup That’s Becoming a Bullpen Anchor
This part often gets missed. King was a 30th round pick by the Cubs in 2019. He lost 2020 to the shutdown and underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022. By the end of that year, he hadn’t thrown a competitive pitch in over two seasons.
Dana Brown still took the chance. The Astros selected King in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft in December 2022. No fanfare. Just a smart, quiet pickup of a lefty mid-rehab.
He made his debut in 2024 and put up a 2.39 ERA in 26.1 innings. Solid, but still under the radar. Then came spring 2025. No promises, no guarantees. And now, just two weeks into the season, he looks like one of the most reliable arms in Espada’s bullpen.
He’s coming in with runners on. He’s getting swing and miss. He’s not nibbling. He’s moving fast, working clean, and showing he belongs.
There’s something classic about the way Houston finds these guys. Not trying to overhaul themjust giving them the right space and the right role.
If this keeps up, he won’t just be a solid depth piece. He’ll be the guy you expect to see jogging in from the bullpen with the game on the line. As he is right now.