Why Graveman is excited to return to Houston

This story was excerpted from Brian McTaggart’s Astros Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

When Kendall Graveman was traded from the Mariners to the Astros two years ago, he stood on the field at T-Mobile Park and shed tears about leaving his Seattle teammates behind. He didn’t know at the time his experience in Houston would leave a memorable impact on him and his family, even though he was in an Astros uniform for only a couple of months.

Fast forward two years and one day, and Graveman has once again been traded to the Astros – this time from the White Sox, who gave him a three-year, $24-million deal after the 2021 season. There were no tears this time as Graveman packed up, only anticipation to return to Houston and try to win the championship that eluded him in ’21.

“I can’t really put it into words,” Graveman told MLB.com. “I’m excited to get to a place that feels like home to me.”

The latest trade, which sent catching prospect Korey Lee to the White Sox, was universally praised in Houston’s clubhouse, not only because of Graveman’s ability but his character. Among the players he talked to in the minutes following the trade were closer Ryan Pressly, catcher Martín Maldonado, third baseman Alex Bregman, pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and outfielders Michael Brantley and Kyle Tucker.

“The attention to detail and the will to win and wanting to win and the ability to win over the past few years is exciting,” said Graveman, who was teammates with José Abreu in 2022. “I think the way that my family was treated and how [owner] Jim Crane runs the organization from the top is pretty special, too, to make everyone feel welcome. That speaks volumes of him and the organization.”

The Astros lost the World Series in 2021 in six games to the Braves and returned to the Fall Classic the next year to beat the Phillies in six games. A few players have come and gone the last two years, but Graveman knows the makeup of the clubhouse well and is eager to get back in that winning environment.

“I know what that locker room felt like after that loss in the World Series,” he said. “One of the things that’s really special about that group is the hunger and the desire to always continue to win. I know how hard that can be. When you play so long in the postseason every year, to repeat it, there’s a lot of mental fortitude that comes along with that. It’s no secret the guys that have been there and had shorter offseasons than everybody else for the past five or six years, and they continue to put their best foot forward and try to win. That’s special.”

Graveman was thrilled for his former (and future) teammates when the Astros won the World Series last year, but he felt he missed out a bit. The anticipation of being a part of another run is invigorating.

“Every year brings challenges and new things,” he said. “I know Yordan [Alvarez] and [Jose] Altuve haven’t been healthy all year, but thankfully we got them back and healthy and in the lineup. There are some guys that weren’t doing the same role as when I was there the first time. It’s fun to see [Bryan] Abreu pitching well out of the bullpen, will be fun to see Hector Neris and those guys.”

Unlike two years ago, when Graveman was a free agent at the end of the season, he has another year remaining on his contract. He said it feels great to be wanted for more than just a couple of months. Graveman told general manager Dana Brown on Friday that he’ll pitch in any role that manager Dusty Baker needs him.

“I have no ego, and I don’t need any accolades,” he said. “I just want to help the team win and compete every time I go out there. … We just want to win baseball games. That’s the feeling I got when I was over there the first time, and that’s still the feeling.”