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The Opener: Dodgers, Cubs, Royals

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Dodgers roster moves incoming?

Dodgers utilityman Tommy Edman exited yesterday’s win over the Rays due to what the team later announced was a right ankle sprain. Edman’s ankle has been bothering him throughout the season, and he spent a few weeks on the injured list due ankle inflammation earlier this year. Given that previous history, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Sonja Chen of MLB.com) that he “just [doesn’t] see how it’s not” an injury that will require Edman to hit the shelf. With Edman seemingly ticketed for the injured list today, Chen notes that infielder Max Muncy will likelyy be activated to replace him on the roster. Muncy has been out for a month due to a bone bruise in his knee that initially came with a six-week timeline for return, but he’s gotten back in action ahead of schedule and now appears to be ready to return to third base.

2. Soroka to make Cubs debut:

The trade deadline passed a few days ago, but a handful of players are still gearing up for their first appearance in a new uniform. That’s true of right-hander Michael Soroka today, who joined the Cubs in a trade that sent outfield prospect Christian Franklin and infield prospect Ronny Cruz to the Nationals. Soroka, 28, has struggled to a 4.87 ERA in 16 starts this year but has some strong peripherals, including a 3.33 xERA and a 3.62 SIERA. Soroka’s first opportunity with the Cubs will come at 7:05pm local time tonight when they take on the Reds and lefty Nick Lodolo (3.09 ERA in 22 starts).

3. Falter to make Royals debut:

Soroka isn’t the only hurler making his debut for a new team in the Midwest. Southpaw Bailey Falter was traded at the deadline for the second time in three years when the Pirates shipped him to Kansas City for lefty Evan Sisk and first base prospect Callan Moss. Falter is now tasked with helping a Royals team that’s currently without Kris Bubic, Cole Ragans, and Michael Lorenzen stay afloat. Falter has a 3.73 ERA in 22 starts for Pittsburgh this year, though his 4.55 xERA and 5.11 SIERA leave something to be desired. If the lefty can sustain the type of run-production he showed in Pittsburgh, he’d be a solid bridge to the eventual returns of Ragans and Lorenzen later this year. His first assignment will be taking down a tough Red Sox lineup when he pitches at Fenway Park later today opposite right-hander Brayan Bello (3.19 ERA in 19 appearances).

Brewers Place Jacob Misiorowski On 15-Day Injured List

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The Brewers announced this morning that they’ve placed right-hander Jacob Misiorowski on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to July 31) due to a left tibia contusion. Right-hander Logan Henderson was recalled to replace Misiorowski on the active roster.

Misiorowski was expected to start today’s game against the Nationals, but instead will head to the shelf. That the right-hander’s injury doesn’t involve his arm is surely heartening news for fans in Milwaukee, but it’s nonetheless worrisome for such a key piece of the club’s recent surge to miss any time at all while the team is locked in a heated division race with the Cubs. Any amount of time missed by such a talented arm will be a blow, but if Misiorowski misses only the minimum he could be back on the mound for the club’s series opener against the Reds on August 15.

The rookie was somewhat controversially named an All-Star this year despite having just five appearances in the majors under his belt prior to this year’s All-Star game, but Misiorowski has done everything in his power to justify that honor with a 2.70 ERA, 3.10 FIP, and an absurd 36.4% strikeout rate in 33 1/3 innings. Misiorowski’s huge strikeout numbers are somewhat balanced out by a 10.9% walk rate, but his overpowering stuff (which includes a fastball that averages 99mph on the radar gun) is more than enough to make up for those pitfalls when it comes to control.

Misiorowski isn’t the only injury of note the Brewers have suffered in recent days. Star outfielder Jackson Chourio is on the injured list due to a hamstring strain and might not be back until September. Another major piece of the club’s outfield puzzle, Sal Frelick, was pulled from yesterday’s game due to knee soreness in what the Brewers described (according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) as “precautionary.” With Chourio and Misiorowski out of commission for the time being and Frelick’s status uncertain, the Brewers are looking very banged up after a quiet trade deadline that saw them add only backup catcher Danny Jansen from the Rays and injured right-hander Shelby Miller of the Diamondbacks while trading away starter Nestor Cortes in a deal with the Padres.

The 21-year-old Henderson is another impressive young arm, as he made his big league debut earlier this year and has looked quite good in four spot starts. He’s posted a 1.71 ERA and a 3.05 FIP in 21 innings of work at the big league level this year while striking out 35.8% of his opponents, though a 3.59 ERA and 27.9% strikeout rate in 16 appearances at Triple-A is slightly less impressive. Regardless, Henderson will have the opportunity to further establish himself as the next man up in a crowded rotation mix that has sent arms like Chad Patrick and Tobias Myers to Triple-A as depth.

Astros, Twins Reportedly Discussed Christian Walker In Carlos Correa Trade

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5:17PM: Nightengale clarified his earlier report, saying that it was the Twins who first floated Walker’s name and the Astros who passed on moving the first baseman.

2:56PM: The Astros and Twins pulled off a shocking move in the final hours before the deadline that brought three-time All-Star infielder Carlos Correa back home to the team that he spent the first seven seasons of his career with. The deal sent Correa to Houston in exchange for pitching prospect Matt Mikulski, with the Twins retaining $33MM of the $103.4MM remaining on Correa’s contract. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale provided additional details on the Correa negotiations this morning.

Most notably, Nightengale writes that the sides talked about including veteran first baseman Christian Walker as part of the return headed to Minnesota in exchange for Correa’s services. He adds that while the Twins “had the opportunity” to acquire Walker as part of the deal, they passed on taking the final two years and $40MM of his contract on. That’s not exactly a shocking decision. Given that Mikulski is a 26-year-old who has not yet even reached the Double-A level, it’s fair to view the Correa deal as a pure salary dump for Minnesota. Previous reporting has indicated that the Twins are more than $400MM in debt, and Nightengale writes that the club has lost $40MM this year.

That would make adding a larger contract like that of Walker counterproductive in most scenarios. Perhaps there was a version of the deal where the Twins retained less of Correa’s salary while taking on Walker’s contract, but given his mediocre 2025 campaign (96 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR) and the fact that he’s already 34 years old it’s understandable that the Twins wouldn’t be too interested in adding him at the beginning of a rebuild that might not end until Walker has already hit free agency.

There’s at least an argument to be made that he would’ve been a worthwhile addition to the club based on their lack of a long-term solution at the position, however. Kody Clemens is currently serving as the club’s first baseman and has blasted 12 homers in 65 games since landing in Minnesota, but is a career 82 wRC+ hitter in 222 big league games who seems unlikely to sustain that sort of production. Edouard Julien and Jose Miranda are both capable of playing the position and have past big league success but poor performance has relegated them to the minors for much of the year.

That could make the veteran consistency Walker could provide quite attractive in theory, especially after the loss of Correa and others from the clubhouse could leave a dearth of veteran leadership in the clubhouse outside of franchise face Byron Buxton. On the other hand, Walker lacks much upside; even his best seasons with the Diamondbacks saw him peak at a wRC+ of around 120, and the Twins could likely find a younger, cheaper alternative who has more of a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order force if they were interested in doing so this offseason.

While the Twins may not have been a fit for Walker’s services, Nightengale suggests that the veteran might get shopped by the Astros this winter in a bid to make room for infielder Isaac Paredes as first base next year. That’s a sensible assumption based on the composition of the club’s roster. While the idea of Paredes moving to second was briefly floated last offseason, there’s been a great deal of skepticism since then about his viability as a defender at third base. Yordan Alvarez must be penciled in as the club’s DH even after a 2025 season that has been mostly lost to injury, and with a former Gold Glove shortstop in Correa who’s eager to move to third base in deference to fellow Gold Glove shortstop Jeremy Pena there isn’t room for Paredes on the left side of the infield anymore.

At the same time, Paredes’s bat is much too important to lose from the lineup. The two-time All-Star has hit an impressive .259/.359/.470 with 19 homers, 15 doubles, and triple in 96 games for the Astros this year. The third baseman is expected to miss the remainder of the 2025 season at this point, so fitting him into the lineup is not a concern in the short-term. First base seems like by far the most logical fit the slugger for the 2026 season, however. Paredes is under team control through the end of the 2027 season, so he’ll need to find a new long-term home in Houston with Correa set to take over the hot corner.

That will likely make Walker expendable this offseason. He’s certainly not had the season either side was hoping for when he signed with the Astros on a three-year, $60MM deal this past offseason. Back in June, MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk wrote about the lackluster start Walker had to his Astros career. He’s begun to turn things around since then, with a strong .288/.352/.466 (129 wRC+) slash line in 186 plate appearances since that article was published, but the concerns discussed in that piece still ring true. Walker is an aging, pricey veteran on a multi-year contract who has begun to show signs of decline.

It’s not the easiest profile to find a suitor for, but perhaps there will be a team in need of help at first base this winter with whom the club can work out a trade—particularly if they’re willing to pay down some of Walker’s remaining salary. The veteran’s play over the season’s final two months and into the postseason figures to have a major influence over how feasible an offseason trade will end up being and how much money, if any, the Astros would have to retain in order to move him.

If Houston’s front office doesn’t find an offer they deem acceptable for Walker, there are other avenues to working out the infield logjam, though each presents some issues. Perhaps Paredes could see some time at second base despite defensive questions. It’s possible that Walker could get some playing time at DH on days Alvarez plays the outfield, with Jose Altuve at second base. A trade of Paredes could even theoretically be considered, especially if a similarly well-regarded and controllable outfielder was available in return. As the Astros demonstrated for Jose Abreu, they’re also not opposed to simply cutting ties with a struggling veteran who no longer fits the club’s needs, though Walker would surely need to take an extreme turn for the worse in order for that option to be on the table.

Orioles Claim Vidal Brujan, Carson Ragsdale

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The Orioles have claimed infielder Vidal Brujan off waivers from the Cubs and right-hander Carson Ragsdale off waivers from the Giants, according to a team announcement. Brujan is out of options and must be added to the big league roster but has not yet reported. Ragsdale, meanwhile, was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles’ 40-man roster now stands at 37, so no corresponding 40-man moves are necessary.

Brujan, 27, was a top-100 prospect in the Rays’ system for many years. He failed to establish himself at the big league level in Tampa, however, and hit just .157/.218/.221 across 99 games (272 plate appearances) between 2021 and 2023 for the club. Prior to the 2024 season, Brujan was shipped alongside reliever Calvin Faucher to the Marlins in a trade and he was able to take on a larger role with a rebuilding Miami club. With regular playing time available to him, his performance modestly improved. He remained a below-average contributor overall, however, with a 73 wRC+ despite a 19.4% strikeout rate and a 9.0% walk rate.

Those solid discipline numbers were outweighed by a complete lack of power, less impressive speed on the basepaths than his days a prospect would’ve otherwise indicated, and a lackluster BABIP. While Brujan was versatile enough to hold onto a bench role for the Marlins, he was shipped to the Cubs last offseason in the Matt Mervis trade. He held onto a bench role with Chicago throughout the first half and had value on paper as a player who could help hold down third base while Matt Shaw developed in the minor leagues while also spelling Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field. Unfortunately, the fit didn’t work out as well in practice as Brujan posted an atrocious 43 wRC+ in 36 games and was designated for assignment just before the trade deadline.

Ragsdale, meanwhile, is a 27-year-old right-handed starter. He was added to the Giants’ 40-man roster last November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft after he posted a strong 3.49 ERA in 14 starts at the Double-A level that year, but a career ERA north of 5.00 at Triple-A in conjunction with a 19.9% strikeout rate against a 13.0% walk rate at the level this year left Ragsdale as little more than a depth starter for a club with a number of viable young arms. San Francisco designated him for assignment to make room for top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt on the roster prior to the trade deadline.

Now, both players are ticketed to join the Orioles organization. Brujan figures to join the club’s active roster within the next couple of days and could serve as a versatility utility option for the infield after Ramon Urias was traded to Houston prior to the deadline this past week. Ragsdale, meanwhile, could make his big league debut at some point down the stretch to help the Orioles eat innings amid injuries to key arms like Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez, particularly after Charlie Morton was shipped off to Detroit.

White Sox Claim Bryan Hudson, Elvis Peguero

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The White Sox have claimed left-hander Bryan Hudson and right-hander Elvis Peguero off waivers from the Brewers. Right-hander Jesse Scholtens was designated for assignment to make room for the duo on the 40-man roster, and both Hudson and Peguero were optioned to Triple-A Charlotte.

A longtime Cubs farmhand, Hudson returns to Chicago on the other side of town after departing the North Siders following the 2022 season as a minor league free agent. He signed a minor league pact with the Dodgers for the 2023 campaign and was called up to the roster in June of that year, but struggled badly with a 7.27 ERA in six appearances for Los Angeles. Hudson was designated for assignment by L.A. in the 2023-24 offseason, but was traded to Milwaukee before being placed on waivers. He was a key part of the Milwaukee bullpen last year with a 1.73 ERA and 3.60 FIP across 62 1/3 innings of work. That dominant showing didn’t continue into 2025, however, as he surrendered a 4.35 ERA and walked an eye-popping 22.1% of batters faced in 10 1/3 innings for the Brewers this year.

Peguero, 28, made his big league debut with the Angels back in 2021. After struggling with Anaheim in 19 2/3 innings across parts of two seasons, Peguero was included in the Hunter Renfroe trade and joined the Brewers for the 2023 season. He provided solid but unspectacular middle relief for Milwaukee in his first two years pitching for the club, posting a 3.20 ERA and 3.92 FIP across 111 appearances while striking out 21.1% of his opponents and walking 11.1%. He took a step back this year, however, and pitched to a meager 4.91 ERA with a microscopic 13.9% strikeout rate in 7 1/3 innings before he was designated for assignment.

Now, both pitchers figure to join a White Sox bullpen in need of veteran arms. Hudson will compete with Brandon Eisert, Tyler Gilbert, and Tyler Alexander to serve as one of the bullpen’s lefty hurlers, while Peguero’s competition will be optionable righties like Jordan Leasure and Owen White. Meanwhile, Scholtens departs the roster after pitching to a 5.29 ERA with a 5.31 FIP in 85 innings of work back in 2023. He’s not appeared in the majors since then, however, and has struggled to a 5.28 ERA in 29 innings of work at Triple-A this year. The White Sox will now have one week to pass him through waivers. If he clears, they’ll have the opportunity to outright him to the minors as non-roster depth for the remainder of the season. Scholtens will be able to elect free agency after the season if not added back to the 40-man roster before then, should he be outrighted.

Nationals Claim PJ Poulin

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The Nationals announced this afternoon that they’ve claimed left-hander PJ Poulin off waivers from the Tigers. Poulin was designated for assignment to make room for right-hander Charlie Morton on the club’s 40-man roster on the day of the trade deadline.

Poulin, 29, was an 11th-round pick by the Rockies back in 2018. A two-way player in college, Poulin committed to pitching upon his move to affiliated ball. He looked quite good in the lower minors as a reliever in his first two years as a professional, but the canceled minor league season in 2020 lost him a year of development and he generally struggled with his effectiveness in the upper minors during his time with the Rockies organization. He was dealt to the Tigers prior to the 2024 season and has looked quite good since then, with a 2.10 ERA, 2.59 FIP, and 29.8% strikeout rate across the Double- and Triple-A levels last year.

The southpaw returned to Triple-A Toledo this year and has pitched well in 42 2/3 innings of work, with a 3.38 ERA and a fantastic 33.7% strikeout rate against a 9.2% walk rate. Those huge numbers got the attention of the Tigers last month, and led them to add Poulin to the 40-man roster after he exercised an upward mobility clause in his contract. Unfortunately for Poulin, he did not make it to the majors in Detroit before being DFA’d this past week. The good news, however, is that he’s been plucked off the waiver wire by a Nationals team that will be in need of bullpen help down the stretch after parting with key relievers like closer Kyle Finnegan and lefty Andrew Chafin in a sell-off at the deadline.

That should give Poulin a clear shot to make the majors and show what he can do at the big league level at some point down the stretch, and if he impresses the Nationals would have full control over him given that he has not yet made his big league debut and has zero MLB service time. He’ll be competing with players like Konnor Pilkington and Shinnosuke Ogasawara to serve as a left-handed bullpen option for the team now that Jose A. Ferrer is seemingly ticketed for the closer role in Finnegan’s stead.

Rockies Claim Blaine Crim

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The Rockies announced that they’ve claimed first baseman Blaine Crim off waivers from the Rangers today and optioned him to Triple-A. No corresponding move was necessary, and the Rockies’ 40-man roster now stands at 40. In addition, the Rangers announced that outfielder Dustin Harris has been assigned outright to Triple-A after clearing waivers.

Crim, 28, made his big league debut with Texas earlier this year. He appeared in just five games total for the Rangers and 0-11 with a walk and six strikeouts across 13 plate appearances. A 19th-round pick back in 2019 by the club, Crim climbed the minor league ladder and first reached the Triple-A level back in 2022. He’s a career .283/.374/.487 hitter in 363 games for the Rangers’ Round Rock affiliate, and his .284/.373/.515 slash line in 83 games at the level this year has generally been more of the same. That slash line looks better on paper before you consider the context of the Pacific Coast League’s inflated offensive environment, but he’s still a 119 wRC+ hitter at the level this year even after factoring that in.

That was enough to earn Crim the opportunity to step in at first base for the Rangers earlier this year when Jake Burger was briefly optioned to the minor leagues, although that cup of coffee did not go especially well. He’s been back in the minors since then, and was recently designated for assignment by Texas in order to make room for the addition of trade acquisition Merrill Kelly to the 40-man roster. Now, he’s been plucked off waivers by Colorado and will join a first base mix that already includes Michael Toglia and Warming Bernabel. Toglia has struggled badly in the majors this year and was optioned to the minors earlier today, but Bernabel recently made his big league debut and has gotten off to a hot start with three home runs in his first seven games as a big leaguer.

As for Harris, the 11th-round pick of the A’s back in 2019 made his big league debut with the Rangers last year. He went 2-for-7 with a home run in a two-game cup of coffee last year but struggled in 16 games this season to the tune of a 68 wRC+, leaving him with roughly league average results overall in 45 MLB plate appearances. That tiny sample doesn’t say much about his abilities, however, and a better look at him can be found in the form of his somewhat lackluster production at Triple-A this year. He’s slashed .262/.305/.401 in 66 games for Round Rock, good for a wRC+ of just 95. He’ll now serve as non-roster outfield depth for the Rangers going forward, but he’ll have the opportunity to elect minor league free agency after the season if he’s not added back to the 40-man roster.

Yankees Activate Luis Gil From 60-Day Injured List

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The Yankees announced this morning that they have activated right-hander Luis Gil from the 60-day injured list. To make room for Gil’s return to the 40-man roster, New York placed right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga on the 15-day injured list with mid-back tightness.

Gil, 27, suffered a high-grade lat strain before the season began and has been sidelined ever since. The AL Rookie of the Year last year turned in a solid season with a 3.50 ERA and a 4.14 FIP in 29 starts, but walked a whopping 12.1% of his opponents against a 26.8% strikeout rate and faded into a less effective version of himself down the stretch, Those later season struggles were understandable given the lack of volume Gil had thrown over the years. The righty actually made his big league debut back in 2021 but a variety of injuries left him able to make just seven starts in the big leagues across his first two years in the majors and cost him the 2023 campaign in its entirety.

That checkered injury history made it somewhat unsurprising when Gil once again missed significant time this year, but it was no less disappointing for the Yankees given that they’ve been without both Gil and Cole all year to this point and also saw Clarke Schmidt miss time early in the year before requiring Tommy John surgery shortly before the All-Star break. Those hits to the club’s rotation depth led the Yankees to view adding starting pitching help as a top priority heading into the trade deadline, but the club was unable to get a deal for a starter done in a year where few rotation pieces ended up moving. They fortified both the lineup and bullpen instead, hoping that a relief corps with four closers (Devin Williams, David Bednar, Luke Weaver, and Camilo Doval) will be enough to make up for those starting pitching deficiencies.

Even if that plan works out, the Yankees are banking on help from Gil and the eventual return of Ryan Yarbrough (as well as the efforts of rookies Will Warren and Cam Schlittler) to help piece together production behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon. It’s a significant gamble that demonstrates plenty of faith in Gil, who offers plenty of upside but has not yet demonstrated much consistency at the big league level. The righty struggled to a 5.65 ERA across four rehab outings at the Double- and Triple-A levels in preparation for his return to the majors, but his 4 1/3 innings of one-run, seven-strikeout ball his last time out for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre offers some reason for optimism as he heads into today’s start against the Marlins and right-hander Edward Cabrera, against whom the Yankees are hoping to avoid getting swept after dropping the first two games in the series.

As for Loaisiga, Greg Joyce of the New York Post writes that the right-hander is headed back to the Bronx to be examined by the team’s doctor. Loasigia’s back issue has lingered in the days after his abbreviated outing on Friday where he hit a batter and allowed a hit before being pulled after recording just one out. Loaisiga has been dominant at times over the years but has struggled somewhat this year, with a 4.25 ERA and a 5.80 FIP in 29 2/3 innings of work this year. It’s unclear how long Loaisiga will be out, but the club’s recent reinforcements for the bullpen from trades prior to the deadline this past week should help make up for the loss.

Orioles Designate Terrin Vavra For Assignment

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The Orioles have designated infielder Terrin Vavra for assignment, per a team announcement. The move makes room on the active roster for first baseman Ryan Noda, who the club claimed off waivers from the White Sox yesterday.

Vavra, 28, was a third-rounder selected by the Rockies back in 2018. He was dealt to the Orioles prior to his big league debut as part of the Mychal Givens trade back in 2020 and then made his big league debut two years later. In 40 games with Baltimore that year, Vavra impressed with a roughly league average .258/.340/.337 slash line while playing both second base and the outfield. Vavra broke camp with the Orioles in 2023 but made it into just 27 games, hitting poorly in 56 plate appearances before he was shelved due to a shoulder strain. That shoulder injury eventually turned out to be a labrum tear, and Vavra underwent surgery to repair his shoulder in September 2023.

Vavra has barely appeared in the majors since. He returned to action at the Triple-A level early last year but was DFA’d and claimed by the Mariners over the summer. He didn’t make a big league appearance with Seattle, however, and was eventually outrighted off the club’s 40-man roster in September before he re-signed with the Orioles on a minor league deal. He’s been selected to the active roster twice this season, but didn’t make an appearance in the majors in the first of those call-ups. In the second, he got one pinch-hit appearance and lined out. Vavra’s work in 59 games with Triple-A Norfolk has left something to be desired this year, as he’s posted a lackluster .247/.354/.341 slash line across 203 trips to the plate.

If Vavra goes unclaimed on waivers, he’ll be able to either accept an outright assignment and return to Norfolk or elect free agency and become eligible to sign with any of the league’s 30 clubs. Vavra’s departure from the roster makes room for Noda, who was plucked off waivers from the White Sox yesterday. The 29-year-old was a Rule 5 pick by the A’s back in 2023 and impressed over 128 games, slashing .229/.364/.409 with 39 extra-base hits and a 15.6% walk rate over 495 trips to the plate. He’s hit just .124/.266/.202 in 52 games since then, but with Ryan O’Hearn now in San Diego and the Orioles buried in the standings at this point Baltimore has little to lose by giving Noda a chance as a lefty bench bat who can chip in at first base and in the outfield, filling a role similar to the one O’Hearn had been brought in to plug before he broke out with the club back in 2023.

Astros Acquire John Rooney From Marlins

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The Astros have acquired left-hander John Rooney in a trade with the Marlins, as relayed by Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The Marlins are receiving cash considerations in return. Rome adds that Rooney will join the team today, and that right-hander Luis Contreras was optioned to Triple-A in order to make room for Rooney on the active roster. Houston has a 40-man roster vacancy, so no further corresponding transactions will be necessary.

Rooney, 28, was eligible to be traded even after the deadline on July 31 passed because he has spent the entire year in the minor leagues without being selected to the 40-man roster. MLBTR’s Steve Adams offered a comprehensive look at how clubs can make external additions over the season’s final two months yesterday morning. A third-round pick by the Dodgers back in 2018 who has yet to make his MLB debut, Rooney is a veteran of seven minor league seasons who will now get the opportunity to break into the majors for the first time in his career.

Prior to this season, Rooney had spent his entire career in the Dodgers organization. He reached Triple-A in the latter half of the 2023 season but struggled with the club’s Oklahoma City affiliate in his first full season at the level in 2024 despite some early success there the year prior. Rooney went on to elect minor league free agency and latched on with the Marlins, for whom he’s done quite well at Triple-A Jacksonville this season. In 38 appearances, Rooney has posted a 2.45 ERA while striking out 32.4% of his opponents. Those impressive strikeout numbers are held back by a massive 16.5% walk rate, however, and Rooney’s command will surely need to improve if he hopes to be more than a depth option at the big league level.

Despite that lackluster control, the Astros are clearly enticed by Rooney’s big strikeout numbers if they offered him a spot on their 40-man roster and a shot in the majors. The competition among left-handed relief arms in the Houston bullpen is extremely stiff, however. Closer Josh Hader and second-year setup man Bryan King are both locked into high leverage spots, while Bennett Sousa and Steven Okert are both having excellent seasons in their own right. All four of those southpaws figure to land well ahead of Rooney on the organizational depth chart, but additional relief depth with options remaining is always a worthwhile addition for a contender to consider.

For now, Rooney will take the spot of Contreras on the active roster. Contreras is in his second year in the majors with the Astros, but he’s done little to impress so far with a 7.50 career ERA. With that being said, those poor results have come in just 18 innings of work total, and his 4.12 FIP suggests that there are better days to come. Contreras will head to Triple-A Sugar Land, where he has a 3.34 ERA in 30 appearances this year, and wait for his next opportunity in the majors.

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