KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Brett Myers, who started 66 of the 67 games in which he played during his first two seasons with the Houston Astros, will be the team's closer this year.

"I know I'm going to enjoy it," said Myers, Houston's opening day starter last year. "It's something that I've done before. I want to give it another shot, see if I can."

The 31-year-old right-hander has 94 wins in 249 career starts, including a 7-14 record with a 4.46 ERA for the Astros last season. He saved 21 games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 after starting that season in the rotation.

"I look at it as a challenge for me. I like challenges," he said. "They asked me about it and ... I've always wanted to do it. I didn't like getting taken out of the role in '07, but we won the World Series the next year so it worked out for us."

The move came out of necessity for the Astros, who lost 106 games in 2011. New general manager Jeff Luhnow came up with the idea about three weeks ago.

"We have a lot of options in the rotation to replace his innings," Luhnow said, "and I really felt like our options in that role weren't good, with (Brandon) Lyon coming back from his injury and young guys who haven't done that role yet. I really wanted to make sure that we don't put extra pressure on the team, not being able to close out games."

Mark Melancon, who replaced Lyon as the closer last year, was traded to Boston in December. Lyon had surgery to repair tears in his right rotator cuff and labrum, plus a problem with the biceps tendon, and he says his recovery is ahead of schedule.

The Astros lost 28 games by one run last year and saved only 25 of 50 opportunities, the lowest total and worst percentage in the major leagues.