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Kevin Chapman will compete with Darin Downs and Joe Thatcher this spring as the Astros' second left-hander out of the bullpen behind Tony Sipp.

Chapman will compete with Darin Downs and Joe Thatcher this spring to be the Astros' second left-hander out of the bullpen behind Tony Sipp.

Analysis:

Chapman finished 2014 with a 0.68 ERA and 10:1 K:BB over his final 13 relief appearances and lost 20 pounds over the winter. However, the 27-year-old is on Houston's 40-man roster with minor league options remaining, whereas Downs and Thatcher are not on the 40-man and could end up pitching elsewhere if the Astros don't add them to the roster prior to Opening Day. Of the three candidates, Thatcher appears to be the favorite to break camp with the big-league club, but spring performance will ultimately determine who wins the competition.

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