In July, A.J. Hinch addressed Tony Sipp’s struggles in an interview for MLB.com and maintained confidence in Sipp as the Astros’ situational reliever. However, Sipp did bolster improved numbers as the season developed. He was finding more of his old feel in September (2.05 ERA for that month), after an abysmal August which included a 9.95 ERA for that time frame.
His Personal Life
Sipp did go on paternity leave in May, as he welcomed the birth of his second child. This resulted in a slump in Sipp’s performance. Unfortunately, the stress of a newborn can easily take someone out of the competitive frame of mind when on the mound.