Headlines

  • Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal
  • Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason
  • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
  • Rangers Hire Skip Schumaker As Manager
  • Albert Pujols To Interview For Angels’ Managerial Vacancy, May Be “Leading Choice”
  • Bill Schmidt Will Not Return As Rockies’ GM
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Orioles Trade Hector Velazquez To Astros

By Steve Adams | July 29, 2020 at 11:19am CDT

The Orioles announced this morning that they’ve traded right-hander Hector Velazquez to the Astros in exchange for a player to be named later. Baltimore had outrighted Velazquez off its 40-man roster just prior to Opening Day.

Velazquez, 31, spent the past three seasons with the Red Sox, throwing well from 2017-18 before stumbling to a 5.43 ERA in 56 frames in 2019. He’d previously logged a 3.12 ERA in 109 2/3 MLB frames, with averages of 5.9 strikeouts, 2.7 walks and 0.9 home runs per nine innings. The righty’s low strikeout right and lofty 80.7 percent strand rate prompted fielding-independent metrics to treat that ERA with some skepticism, but even metrics like FIP (4.24), SIERA (4.54) felt he was at least a passable option.

Things deteriorated last year for Velazquez when his walk and home run rates spiked. His strand rate not only regressed toward the league average (72.3 percent) but blew right by it and swung toward another extreme: 61.9 percent. Velazquez doesn’t miss many bats, but he can generate grounders with a low-spin sinker when at his best, as evidenced by a near-50 percent grounder rate in 2018.

It’s a necessary depth move for an Astros club that has been hammered by injuries on the pitching staff. Houston currently has nine rookies on its staff, including seven relievers who hadn’t accrued a single day of MLB service prior to Opening Day. It’s not clear whether Velazquez will be selected directly to the Major League roster, although given the sheer inexperience that currently permeates the Houston roster, there’d seem to be a decent chance that Velazquez will be called up in the near future.

Share Repost Send via email

Baltimore Orioles Houston Astros Transactions Hector Velazquez

Red Sox Designate Jonathan Lucroy, Call Up Chris Mazza
Main
Latest On Marlins Outbreak And Its Ripple Effects
View Comments (18)
Post a Comment

18 Comments

  1. bobtillman

    5 years ago

    George Springer no doubt

    2
    Reply
  2. mlb1225

    5 years ago

    Ahem…

    Trashcan

    2
    Reply
    • oldmansteve

      5 years ago

      When the orioles have a team ops over .900 this year, we will know why

      Reply
  3. Captain-Judge99

    5 years ago

    Vincent’s brother?

    Reply
    • sidewinder11

      5 years ago

      Nope. Last names are spelled differently too. Velasquez/Velazquez

      Reply
      • Captain-Judge99

        5 years ago

        I think you we’re the only one that noticed. But good job anyway.

        1
        Reply
  4. DarkSide830

    5 years ago

    Red Sox didnt want him back?

    1
    Reply
    • Jeff Zanghi

      5 years ago

      i’m guessing youre trolling as usual… but I’m actually mildly surprised they didn’t. I mean he’s at least proven he can eat innings and the way their rotation looks right now… that’s something they could use.

      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        5 years ago

        im not. its amazing to me tjey didnt even claim him back before. he’d be the 2nd best SP on the staff by miles.

        1
        Reply
      • GaryWarriorsRedSoxx

        5 years ago

        There’s no way they would bring him back. He is a known entity. They’ve tried him. There’s a gazillion Fringe guys out there to try that might catch lightning in a bottle for one season.

        They’re running guys out there from the waiver wire as it is why bring Hector Velazquez back? Sure it’s about eating Innings but you don’t just settle for that. A new guy can eat innings for a start and then if he fails roll another guy out there. There’s plenty of stories of a guy with a career 5.00 era who will come in and have that one great season.

        Reply
  5. Captain-Judge99

    5 years ago

    Even if Astros cheat again this year, maybe just the playoffs. No World Series. Early lst round exit. Which everyone wants except for them. Is it to late to say I’m sorry?

    Reply
    • arc89

      5 years ago

      Velazquez job is to bang the trash cans. Cora taught him how to do in out of the pen that last 2 years.

      Reply
  6. Rangers29

    5 years ago

    (By the end of this season):

    -Cy Young award
    – MVP
    – Roberto Clemente award
    – Comeback player of the year

    1
    Reply
    • Mrtwotone

      5 years ago

      If anyone could it’d be the Astros

      Reply
  7. Ducky Buckin Fent

    5 years ago

    Sweeet, bro!

    Yankee batters salivating over this move lol

    3
    Reply
    • goastros123

      5 years ago

      The Astros bullpen was already bad before this move so I’m sure the Yankees were already salivating.

      1
      Reply
  8. Royalsfan12

    5 years ago

    Wonder if the orioles are trying to get Brandon Bailey back

    1
    Reply
  9. CastielStrife

    5 years ago

    I don’t know much about the guy, but I trust our staff to get the most out of him. We need as many arms as we can get. I’m hoping we can trade for another top of the line starter, but with practically every team having a chance to compete this year it won’t be easy. Hopefully Verlander can come back this year.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal

    Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason

    Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026

    Rangers Hire Skip Schumaker As Manager

    Albert Pujols To Interview For Angels’ Managerial Vacancy, May Be “Leading Choice”

    Bill Schmidt Will Not Return As Rockies’ GM

    Brian Snitker Will Not Return As Braves’ Manager In 2026

    Angels To Have New Manager In 2026

    Rays Sale To Patrick Zalupski’s Group Officially Completed

    Guardians Promote Chase DeLauter For Wild Card Series

    Bruce Bochy Will Not Return As Rangers Manager Amid Financial Uncertainty

    Liam Hendriks Undergoes Ulnar Nerve Transposition Surgery

    Twins Fire Rocco Baldelli

    Giants Fire Bob Melvin

    Pirates Sign Manager Don Kelly To Extension

    Pete Alonso To Opt Out Of Mets Contract, Enter Free Agency

    Padres Place Ramón Laureano On Injured List Due To Finger Fracture

    Willson Contreras Will Consider Waiving No-Trade Clause But Prefers To Remain With Cardinals

    Cade Horton To Miss At Least One Playoff Series Due To Rib Fracture

    MLB To Take Over Mariners’ Broadcasts In 2026

    Recent

    Offseason Outlook: Washington Nationals

    Angels, Albert Pujols Discussing Managerial Deal

    2025-26 Offseason Outlook Series

    Poll: Will Ha-Seong Kim Opt Out?

    Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

    Munetaka Murakami To Be Posted This Offseason

    MLB Disciplines Jose Iglesias, Xander Bogaerts

    Orioles’ Albert Suarez Expected To Avoid Surgery

    Offseason Outlook: Cincinnati Reds

    The Opener: ALDS, NLDS, Phillies

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version