The Astros signed infielder Yadiel Rivera to a minor league deal, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reports (via Twitter). Rivera will report to Houston’s Triple-A affiliate.
Rivera is a veteran of seven Major League seasons, with 111 of his 192 career games coming with the Marlins in 2018. His seven-season resume also includes a few cups of coffee, as Rivera broke in with seven games with the Brewers in 2015, just one game with Miami in 2017, and four games with the Rangers in 2020. He ended his brief stint in Texas on the injured list, as recovery from elbow surgery took up most of Rivera’s offseason and likely explains why he hadn’t signed with a new team until over a week into May.
With just a .175/.244/.217 slash line over 319 career PA, Rivera isn’t known much for his bat at either the MLB or minor league levels. What he does offer is defensive versatility — Rivera has spent much of his career as a shortstop, second baseman, and third baseman, but he has also started at least one game at every other position except catcher and pitcher. Rivera will provide the Astros with some infield depth (particularly at shortstop) down on the farm.
Not a a horrible minor league signing. What the Astos really need is a major league outfield pick up. Miles Straw is scary bad offensively and Kyle Tucker looks more like a 4th outfielder. Brian Goodwin could’ve helped.
“Astros have too many 4th outfielder types, what they really need is another 4th outfielder like Brian Goodwin.”
Straw isn’t even a 4th outfielder. On most teams he would be a pinch runner/defensive replacement only. Brian Goodwin at least can hit a home run once in a while and have an OPS over .600. No he’s not a star, but he could’ve been a cheap and easy upgrade.
Straw is not good, that’s not up for debate. But saying they need another 4th OFer is not the answer.
Tucker is also hitting the ball HARD and getting a really unlucky. He is far from a 4th OF type. BA is not the best indicator of how a guy is really swinging the bat.
I think hard-hit rate is overrated. The years Jose Altuve won batting championships he was never in the top exit velocity people. I think if Tuck were more selective at the plate, like he was last year, the batting average would drastically improve. Also if he had a decent hitter batting behind him he would see better pitches. Straw is not a big league hitter.
You are wrong. Hitting the ball hard is huge driving factor is success in today’s game. It’s not the 1980’s any more.
Ah, I think it’s a push. If you make an out, which Tucker has done plenty of this season, it don’t make a damn if he hit 110MPH. An out is an out. Tucker’s problem is that he’s too pull happy. Until he can learn to hit the ball the other way like Alvarez, he’s always going to struggle. It also doesn’t help that he has that long upper cut swing. I’m afraid Tucker is already going to struggle to hit major league pitching. Hope I’m wrong but…
Hitting the trash can is an even bigger driving factor to the success of some…
In no way is Kyle Tucker a 4th OF. Straw is terrible and has one great skill – speed. The rest of his game is below average. Tucker is hitting into really bad luck.
Rivera is wizardly in the field. Nice little minor-league addition for the Stros’.
He might start hitting with the trashcan help.
grow up
Even the trash can or buzzers aren’t helping this guy hit. He could bat off a tee and still wouldn’t hit over.200 in the majors.
I cannot express how stupid I think the people are that still make the same trash can joke every time an Astros article comes up. Can’t wait for the mute option so I can remove these simpletons from my internet existence.
I’m an Astros fan and I’ve grown to love the trash can jokes. It lets you know just how much this still bothers them. They have no life. We are living rent free in their heads, especially Yankees fans. How many titles? How many division championships? How many statues are erected? And all they can think about is when Houston tapped that a$$! LOL
It’s about credibility and integrity boys, and you must take the consequences for selling it. Funny thing is over 96% of the baseball fans can make comments about it and what the true simpletons from the other 3% show how their blind homerism clouds any judgment they may have had. Congrats on your tainted title, coming from an organization whose list of most notable players is mostly made up of guys that had tainted careers as well. PEDs, trash cans and buzzers…
Must be fun holding a grudge that doesn’t affect you personally for 4 years rather than enjoying baseball. That’s right 97% of fans have moved on from this stupidity and 3% who can’t add still have such shallow self worth and nothing better to talk about to keep repeating this garbage ad nauseum, and guess what, nothing is ever going to change it, so have fun with it.