What It Means:

With all their starting pitcher options, the Astros decided to go another way and opted against having McHugh available in relief. Houston will have starters Lance McCullers, Brad Peacock and Charlie Morton available from the bullpen for Games 1 and 2, and the usage of those three could dictate who starts Game 3 in Boston.

Despite a strong second half, McHugh ranked 11th on the pitching staff in both nERD (1.05) and FIP (3.82). We'll have to wait and see if he's made available in the latter stages of the postseason, if the Astros were to advance.