Struggling reliever Billy Wagner will no longer be closing games for the Houston Astros, at least not on a regular basis.
| |  | |
| Wagner |
Astros manager Larry Dierker told the Houston Chronicle on Friday that Wagner has been removed from the closer's role temporarily.
Wagner has blown eight of 14 save opportunities, including one in a loss to the Rockies on Thursday.
"We're going to start using Billy a little differently," Dierker said. "He hasn't had regular work, so we're probably going to use him in some games before the ninth inning to get him some regular work.
"This doesn't necessarily mean that he might not close a game, but we are going to try some other guys in the ninth inning. By using Billy in some situations with less pressure, we can allow him to relax a little more."
Wagner said Dierker had met with Astros players and some of them had lost confidence in the left-hander.
| |
|
