The Astros announced that they have claimed reliever Matt Gage off waivers from the Blue Jays. The lefty was designated for assignment recently when the Jays signed Chad Green. Houston’s 40-man roster is now full.
Gage, 30, is coming off a strong season, one in which he made his major league debut. Signed by the Blue Jays to a minor league deal, he was selected to the club’s roster in June and spent the rest of the year as an up-and-down reliever who was frequently optioned and recalled. He posted a 1.38 ERA in 13 MLB innings, striking out 24% of batters faced and getting grounders at a 50% clip. His 12% walk rate was certainly concerning, but it was a solid debut nonetheless. He also tossed 42 1/3 innings in Triple-A with a 2.34 ERA, 27.4% strikeout rate, 9.5% walk rate and 47% ground ball rate.
Though he got squeezed off Toronto’s roster, he’ll now join the World Series champions, where left-handed relief is one of the few weak spots on the roster. Leaving aside Framber Valdez, who will be in the rotation, the only other southpaws on the roster are Blake Taylor and Parker Mushinski. All three of those players have options, making it possible that they will take turns swapping in and out of the active roster as the season goes along.
Figures….
Of course they do.
Nice pickup.
Great move. Very Astros like!
Exactly. It’s rare that the Astros push the wrong button.
Honestly decent move.
I figured the only reason we released him was due to him having a job in the npb, or kbo. For the jays to just release him to sign for a different mlb team when we are low lhrp just makes no sense to me.
I mean, maybe he did anyway. HOU doesn’t really have to care about that though.
Yeah, was going to say thought he was getting outright released and like you assumed he had a KBO/NPB deal lined up. Really don’t get why the Jay’s would’ve just let him go without trying to stash him themselves in AAA if not. Though apparently he would’ve been claimed anyway.
If he plays for the Astros and Jays still employ Trent Thornton, Atkins has to be fired.
If a GM is to be fired for not keeping Gage, then they all should be fired. He has been released by 5 teams now, and played in an independent league and Mexico for a couple of years because no one would even give him a minor league deal.
He is a 1 inning RP who cant be used in high leverage situations. The Jays have enough options that way now that they dont need to keep him as depth.
Thorton at least has great stuff. Just cant seem to harness it consistently. He likely will be on the wire at some point this season too; Last Chance Texaco.
@Ducey
When Ryu comes back it could be Thornton but my money is on Hatch.
When Green gets off the 60 it should be Richards getting booted off the 26 man. Then again it should have been Richards getting DFA’d and Pearson taking his spot until green is ready.
Yeah, Richards was terrible last year.
Other than white who does the jays have to come in in a mop up role?
JaysFan: That makes sense and inward going to ask Jays fans specifically about this move because they designated a LH ‘pen piece to make room for a TJS guy who won’t pitch in any meaningful way this season (most likely).
The Astros are looking good finding some LHPs to add to their bullpen. Best men wins.
So why do people think he’s any good? Surely not because of his ERA in 13 innings in the big leagues? In which he struck out 12, and walked 6? Can’t be his minor league stats because those are thoroughly pedestrian. A blazing fastball? Nope, 92.7 MPH.
Must have been a damn impressive 13 innings…
He is not good really, just that the Jays have even worse pitchers. The Jays also have only 3 lefties on the 40 man. Ryu (out with Tommy John), Mayza and…Kikuchi
Kikuchi will have a better .era in 2023 than Alex Manoah. Put it in the book right now folks!
Yeah he made it through waivers all the way to the Stros, which means a WHOLE bunch of smart teams passed on him. He’s an older rookie whose background numbers are pedestrian at best. Houston didn’t bring him on because of his record. They think they can change something to make him better. Also (and probably more importantly) they were the only team in baseball that had an open roster spot before the 60 day IL re-opens.
1st the Astros are smarter than any other team. Also they are not afraid of older pitchers and are good at fixing them.
@rhandome
Three things. First, his numbers, while not great aren’t awful (see Hatch, Thornton, Richards). Second, he is a LHRP. That’s useful. Third, he also has 2 option years remaining. That’s very useful if for nothing else riding the shuttle from the majors to the minors.
It’s a short shuttle from HOU to Sugar Land.
@Thomas E Snyder
The Astros got the right man for the job.
It’s been odd to see the response to this from Jays fans. You’d think they just cut Gausman or something. As an Astros fan, I have no problem with the move, but I’m baffled by the wailing about losing a 30-year-old rookie reliever who posted a 4.13 xFIP last year. If they end up missing Gage, it will not be because of the guy the Jays lost, but because of the guy the Astros turn him into.
The sentiment comes from the fact that several times last season he was passed over for promotion (after he posted those numbers), while others were brought up with seemingly inferior numbers/unknown reasons. I thought he could have used a longer look in Toronto as well, but what do I know. Maybe he’s not a good dude. Maybe he didn’t like it in Toronto and asked to be released if he wasn’t going to get a true shot. It’s one of those things that likely only those inside the team will know.
@BKS1110
It’s poor roster management IMO. When Green/Ryu return from the 60 day IL the FO is going to have to make another roster move, potentially losing that player as well.
Dont get ahead of yourself.
Green/ Ryu count on the 40 man right now. They wont soon, opening 2 spots.
Also, Green and Ryu likely dont come off the DL until July. Unfortunately, there will be a few injuries before then.
@bks
We are not wailing or crying over losing him, we are just confused on why we would release a lhrp when other then Mayza we have Paul fry on a tryout. Depth is integral in a 162 game season and we picked up nobody else to help. All jays fans believed we would add another lhrp to the pen but we didn’t, so now not only did we not add we gave one away for nothing. Thats poor roster management.
Astros also have Austin Davis in training camp as a NRI
Claimed off release waivers — not even outright waivers, nice. Seems relatively rare.
C’mon , you can’t say that a guy who pitched only 13 innings had a strong season, unless Darragh is including his minor league results. 13 innings tells you nothing, really.
If baseball doesn’t work out for Matt, he could be a fullback or a bouncer.
With Green not being ready until Summer at the earliest , I’ve wondered like many why the the Jays did not hold off on announcing the Green signing until Ryu could be put on the 60 day and then Green put on it as well . Maybe they have an agreement with someone else …… will be interesting to see what transpires once Green and Ryu are put on the 60 day . The Jays will then have 2 open 40 man spots. ( A Leftie reliever and a RH bench bat.?? )
The Astros have a history of turning around reclamation project, diamond in the rough type pitchers. If there’s something there, they’ll find it.