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Astros Notes: Pena, Alvarez, Rodgers, Polanco

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6:16PM: During the Astros’ pregame radio show, GM Dana Brown said that Pena’s oblique injury “could be just a two-day thing.  It’s minor based on the initial evaluation of it.”  Pena will still get some testing done out of due diligence. (Hat tip to Chandler Rome).

5:40PM: As the Astros head into a critical matchup with the Mariners tonight, Houston will be without one of its key players for at least this game and perhaps beyond.  Jeremy Pena was included in the initial lineup but has now been scratched due to left oblique soreness, according to an announcement from the team.

Needless to say, losing Pena would be devastating to the Astros’ chances of winning the AL West, or even making the postseason given how the standings have narrowed.  The Astros trail Seattle by two games in the division race after losing the first two games of this weekend series, and another loss tonight would put Houston out of the playoff picture entirely, as the surging Guardians would have a matching 84-72 record and the tiebreaker edge.

Because the Astros don’t play on Monday, it provides some extra time to evaluate Pena’s condition.  If it is just a matter of soreness and tonight’s scratch was more of a precautionary move, it’s possible the shortstop could be back in action as soon as Tuesday.  Oblique issues are notoriously hard to project, however, so even if Pena remains short of an actual oblique strain, there might still be enough discomfort that the Astros don’t want to risk putting him into a game.

Pena is having the best of his four Major League seasons, hitting .304/.363/.477 with 17 homers and 20 steals (in 22 attempts) over 543 plate appearances.  Each of those slash categories is a new career high for Pena, and he has also matched his personal best in stolen bases.  Between his big numbers and excellent defense, Pena has been worth 5.7 fWAR this season, even though he missed all of July recovering from a rib fracture.

Injuries have been the biggest problem of Houston’s season, as it is rather remarkable that the Astros are still in the race given how many key players have missed substantial amounts of time.  Yordan Alvarez is one of those figures, as the slugger has been limited to 48 games due to a hand injury that included a finger fracture, and most recently a sprained ankle that sent him back to the IL on September 16.

Alvarez provided media (including the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara) with an update on his status today, saying that he has yet to begin baseball activities since the inflammation in his ankle hasn’t fully settled.  On the plus side, Alvarez is no longer wearing a protective boot, and he feels he is healing a little quicker than expected.  In the absolutely best case scenario, Alvarez would be eligible to be activated off the IL on Friday, when the Astros visit the Angels in the opener of their final series of the year.

One player who won’t be an option is Brendan Rodgers, as manager Joe Espada confirmed to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart and other reporters that Rodgers’ season is officially over.  The news is no surprise, as Rodgers hasn’t played in a big league game since June 14.  Initially sidelined by an oblique strain, Rodgers suffered a concussion and a nasal fracture after an on-field collision in his first minor league rehab game in July.  He returned to play one more minors game in August but was then sidelined by back problems.

Signed to a minor league deal in February, Rodgers made the Opening Day roster, and thus locked in a $2MM salary for the 2025 season.  He hit .191/.266/.278 over 128 PA and 43 games before his injuries prematurely ended his season, and Rodgers will surely have to settle for another minor league contract with Houston or another club this winter.

Rodgers was brought aboard to add second base depth due to Jose Altuve’s planned move to left field, and he may have been a fallback plan after Houston missed on signing Jorge Polanco.  The Astros were the runners-up to the Mariners in signing Polanco, as the veteran infielder told Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times that Houston was “very close.  They made a good offer, but Seattle came back with a better offer.”

The Mariners were also given the chance to counter, as Divish writes that Polanco’s agent gave Seattle a last chance to top the Astros’ offer.  The end result was a one-year, $7.75MM guarantee plus a mutual option for 2026 that has now vested into a player option.  Missing out on Polanco might well end up being the difference for the Astros in the AL West race, as Polanco rebounded in a huge way from a lackluster 2024 season to hit .265/.325/.489 with 24 homers for the M’s this year.

Astros Place Yordan Alvarez On Injured List

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The Astros have placed outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez on the 10-day injured list with a left ankle sprain, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic, retroactive to September 16th. That open an active roster spot for infielder Isaac Paredes. It was reported earlier that Paredes would be reinstated from the 60-day IL. To open a 40-man spot for Paredes, reliever Kaleb Ort has been transferred to the 60-day IL.

Earlier this week, Alvarez slipped on home plate while coming around to score a run against the Rangers, as seen in this video from MLB.com. After the game, manager Joe Espada said Alvarez would be going for an MRI and Alvarez was seen in a walking boot and on crutches. The next day, Espada described the injury as “pretty significant” and that Alvarez would be “out for a while.”

The Astros didn’t initially place Alvarez on the IL as they waited to evaluate his progress, but now have decided to do so. IL placements can be backdated by three days, so Alvarez can be reinstated in a week.

It’s unclear if the injury will actually allow that to be a real possibility, however, making it a situation to watch going forward. Alvarez has been one of the best hitters alive in recent years. He slumped earlier this year but it was later revealed he had an undiagnosed finger fracture. He spent some time on the IL healing up and seemed to be back to his old self once he returned. He slashed .369/.462/.569 in 78 plate appearances between that previous IL stint and this new one.

Losing that kind of bat is obviously less than ideal for the Astros, especially when they are still playing meaningful games. They are tied with the Mariners for the West division lead and the two clubs begin an incredibly important series against each other tonight. If the Astros lose that series and fall back of the M’s, they would still be in possession of a Wild Card spot, but that would put them at risk of missing the playoffs completely. The Guardians are the top team outside the postseason spots right now and they are only 2.5 games back of Houston.

Even if the Astros hang on and make it to October, they will be hamstrung unless Alvarez can make it back. In the event he can return to the club for the final days of the regular season or in the postseason, it could create a bit of a lineup clog. Paredes is coming back after a lengthy injury absence of his own due to a hamstring strain. He has been taking batting practice lately but hasn’t played any rehab games. He’s serving as the designated hitter tonight but it’s unclear if the Astros have any intention of having him play the field in the coming weeks.

Getting Alvarez back to a state of semi-health where he can hit would be great, though it’s less than perfect if both he and Paredes are in that bucket. That would mean one of them would have to sit or be forced into the field each day. Jose Altuve is also ideally suited for a DH role these days since his glovework isn’t great anywhere, but he’ll have to be out there in the field somewhere if Paredes or Alvarez are in the DH spot going forward.

As for Ort, this transfer definitively ends his season. He landed on the 15-day IL in early September due to right elbow inflammation. It was reported shortly thereafter that he wasn’t likely to return during the regular season. This transfer also wipes out any chance of him appearing in the postseason, even if the Astros make a deep run. He finishes the year with a 4.89 earned run average in 46 innings. He can be retained for four more years after this one but is out of options and may be on the roster bubble this winter, given his mediocre results this year and uncertain health status.

Photo courtesy of Erik Williams, Imagn Images

Astros To Activate Isaac Paredes

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The Astros expect to reinstate infielder Isaac Paredes from the injured list prior to tonight’s pivotal series opener against the Mariners, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. The 26-year-old slugger has been out since July 19 due to a significant hamstring strain. He’s on the 60-day injured list, so the ’Stros will need to open a spot on the 40-man roster to make Paredes’ return official.

Paredes, 26, came to Houston as part of the offseason Kyle Tucker blockbuster with the Cubs. His pull-heavy, flyball approach has proven a perfect match with Houston’s Daikin Park. Through his first 94 games and 409 plate appearances as an Astro, the righty-swinging Paredes has slashed .259/.359/.470 with 19 homers. However, while Paredes has performed better at home, it’d be unfair to use his strong season to suggest he’s simply a product of the short left-field porch in Houston. Ten of those 19 round-trippers have come at home, where he’s slashed .253/.360/.483, but Paredes has been nearly as good on the road, hitting .266/.359/.457.

There’s some risk in the accelerated return to the lineup. General manager Dana Brown earlier this week said there was only an “outside chance” that Paredes could return this weekend. He’s taken live batting practice but hasn’t played in a single minor league rehab game. However, Yordan Alvarez recently suffered a significant ankle sprain that’s kept him out of the lineup since Sept. 15 and seems to have relegated him to a bench/pinch-hitting role for the time being. Houston hasn’t placed Alvarez on the injured list, but manager Joe Espada said earlier this week that he’ll be “out for a while” after an MRI revealed the sprain.

Given that ill-timed Alvarez injury, it seems the Astros are rolling the dice on another of their best bats being healthy enough to contribute in a series that could determine the outcome of the AL West. The Astros and Mariners are tied with identical 84-69 records heading into this three-game set in Houston. The deadline reacquisition of Carlos Correa — paired with that Alvarez injury — seems to suggest that Paredes will be a DH option for the time being. Scorching-hot Jeremy Pena will hold things down at shortstop, while Correa will handle a hot corner that had previously been manned by Paredes.

While Paredes does have some limited experience at second base, it’s hard to imagine Houston throwing him into a position he hasn’t played all season at a time when his hamstring likely isn’t 100% healthy. And with Christian Walker entrenched at first base, there aren’t many other options for Paredes beyond designated hitter. That’s probably for the best anyhow, given his murky health status. Paredes and the Astros will square off against a formidable trio of Seattle righties this weekend, taking on Bryan Woo, George Kirby and Logan Gilbert (in that order).

MLBTR Podcast: The Struggling Mets, Bryce Eldridge, And Trey Yesavage

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • Will the Astros trade Christian Walker in the offseason and move Isaac Paredes over to first base? (38:45)
  • Will the Braves make any shocking trades of their core this offseason? (47:40)
  • Will the Red Sox nab a postseason spot and can they make a deep postseason run? (55:00)

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Benny Sieu, Imagn Images

Yordan Alvarez To Miss Time With “Pretty Significant” Ankle Sprain

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September 16: Espada said today that Alvarez has a “pretty significant” injury (via Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle). The manager added that Alvarez would be “out for a while” but would not say whether he’ll be placed on the injured list or provide any further specifics on the timeline.

September 15: The Astros are sending Yordan Alvarez for an MRI on his left ankle, manager Joe Espada said postgame (via Space City’s Julia Morales). Houston’s star slugger gingerly exited tonight’s win over Texas in the first inning after hurting his ankle scoring a run. The club announced a few innings later that he was diagnosed with an ankle sprain. Chandler Rome of The Athletic observed that Alvarez was on crutches and in a walking boot in the clubhouse after the game.

Alvarez missed the bulk of the season with a small fracture in his right hand. He was out between the start of May and the final week of August. The three-time All-Star had started the year slowly but has raked since his return from the injured list. He’s hitting .369 with a trio of home runs in 18 games over the past three weeks. Alvarez has been in vintage form and is back as one of the team’s lineup anchors as they vie for a playoff spot.

The Astros have used Alvarez more frequently than they wanted in left field. That gave Jose Altuve more at-bats at designated hitter, though he’s been back at second base for the past few games. Victor Caratini stepped in at DH tonight. Alvarez’s exit pushed Jesús Sánchez from right to left field. Rookie Zach Cole came off the bench to play right field. Cole picked up a pair of hits and his second MLB home run in his first four games.

Cole would probably see an uptick in playing time in the corner outfield if Alvarez requires another injured list stint. Altuve could also see mostly everyday DH work with Mauricio Dubón stepping in as a defensive upgrade at second base.

Jose Altuve Exits Game With Foot Discomfort

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September 14: GM Dana Brown told the Astros’ pregame radio show today (as relayed by Kawahara) that, while Altuve is set to be out of the lineup, he’s expected to miss “two days tops” due to the foot soreness he suffered from last night.

September 13: The Astros removed veteran star Jose Altuve from their win over the Braves in the third inning today due to what the team has termed “right foot discomfort.” The specifics of Altuve’s ailment weren’t immediately clear, but manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) after the game that Altuve’s foot began bothering him after he ran the bases in the third inning, leading them to take him out of the game as a precaution.

Espada noted that Altuve is still being evaluated, but the update seems fairly encouraging. It goes without saying that losing Altuve for any amount of time would be a substantial blow to the Astros at a crucial point in the season. They have a measly half-game lead over the Mariners pending the outcome of tonight’s game in Seattle, and the Rangers lurk just two games behind them. While most division leaders have their spot in the postseason locked up at this point, the Astros actually have just an 80.0% chance to make it to October according to Fangraphs, aren’t even favored to win the AL West despite the marginal lead they’re clinging to.

Altuve will be crucial if the club is going to avoid getting overtaken in the postseason race, much less make an impact once they get to October. The longtime second baseman has begun playing some outfield this year due to the team’s lack of quality depth on the grass, although he’s largely split time between second base and DH in more recent weeks. Altuve has been slumping recently, with a .208/.276/.383 slash line n 38 games since the start of August. Those numbers aren’t exactly encouraging, but with a 112 wRC+ on the year and no below average performances since 2013 excepting the shortened 2020 season, Altuve is a relatively safe bet to bounce back if healthy.

The Astros will now need to weigh whether to have him play through the foot issue that’s currently ailing him, or to try and work in some extra rest for him (or even place him on the IL) despite the hotly-contested pennant race the Astros find themselves in. If Altuve does need some time off, the presence of deadline pickup Ramon Urias and longtime utilityman Mauricio Dubon as viable second base options should help to lessen the blow somewhat. Yordan Alvarez occupies the DH slot on most days at this point, leaving the outfield to some combination of Altuve, Dubon, Zach Cole, Taylor Trammell, Cam Smith, Jesus Sanchez, and Jake Meyers on any given day.

Meyers is the only true everyday player in that group, though Cole has gotten off to a hot start and could see regular playing time if he can keep the good times rolling. It seems likely that if Altuve is dealing with a nagging foot issue, the Astros will try to keep his time in the outfield to a minimum. That could mean a larger opportunity for Cole while Sanchez and Smith platoon in right field, leaving Taylor Trammell to spell Cole and see use primarily as a reserve player.

Things could get more complicated if the team makes a deep enough run in the postseason that Isaac Paredes manages to work his way back into the conversation, however. A hamstring injury that seemed as though it might be season-ending sidelined Paredes nearly two months ago, but he decided to forgo surgery in favor of rehabbing in hopes of returning for the postseason. While there’s still no timetable for his return, Espada told reporters (including Kawahara) that Paredes is taking live at-bats at the club’s Spring Training complex in West Palm Beach and has begun to run the bases. It’s not clear what intensity Paredes is currently running at, but Espada said the current plan is for him to simply continue ramping up his at-bats, running, and ground balls at third base in hopes of a return.

If Paredes were to return to action at some point this year, that would leave the Astros with a bit of a positional logjam. Paredes is capable of playing third base, first base, and DH. Carlos Correa and Christian Walker currently occupy the infield corners, however, meaning that Paredes would most likely have to push Alvarez and his lackluster glove into left field by taking up the DH role. If he’s healthy enough to play the field at some point this postseason, it’s at least plausible that the Astros could try Correa at second base with Altuve in left field to fit Paredes at first and keep Alvarez at DH, but there’s plenty of problems with that plan. Correa has no experience at the keystone as a professional, for one, and given Altuve’s own lackluster defense in the outfield it’s debatable how much of an upgrade he would even be over Alvarez.

That could leave Paredes limited to a bench/pinch hitting role in the playoffs if he returns and the Astros don’t want to risk using Alvarez in the outfield, though obviously that would be a great problem for Houston to have considering Paredes’s talent (he made the All-Star game and crushed 19 homers in just 94 games) and the fact that him becoming a factor would likely mean they made a fairly deep postseason run, given his uncertain timeline.

Astros Place Lance McCullers Jr. On Injured List

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The Astros have placed right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. on the 15-day injured list due to right hand soreness, per Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle. It’s unclear how severe this hand injury is. McCullers is going to Houston for further evaluation. Left-hander Colton Gordon has been recalled in the corresponding active roster move. Chandler Rome of The Athletic first noted that McCullers wasn’t listed on the club’s lineup card but Gordon was.

In the short term, it’s not a massive blow for the Astros, as McCullers hasn’t developed into a key part of their 2025 roster. He returned to the mound this year after missing almost three years due to elbow problems. He only made eight appearances in 2022 and then missed all of 2023 and 2024.

While he and the Astros were surely thrilled to get him back on the mound this year, he hasn’t been able to return to his prior level of performance. He has tossed 52 1/3 innings for the club this season, allowing 6.88 earned runs per nine. His 21.8% strikeout rate and 14.6% walk rate are both subpar figures. He went back on the IL in June due to a right foot sprain and again in July due to a blister, with both stints being fairly short.

A couple of weeks ago, manager Joe Espada said that McCullers would pitch out of the bullpen but it would be for the “short term” and “just change things up.” He has since logged four innings over three appearances, allowing three earned runs on six hits, four walks and three strikeouts. The Astros are in a tight playoff race and have lost a lot of guys to the IL, but with the way McCullers has pitched, it’s not a huge blow to be without him.

For the long term, however, this will add to the questions about his ability to get back on track in the future. His fastball only averaged 91.8 miles per hour this year, down more than two ticks from his peak. The multiple IL stints perhaps prevented him from ever being fully in a groove but they also add to the worrying sense that he can’t really stay healthy. Even before his recent multi-year stint in the wilderness, he had trouble staying on the field. He has only once thrown at least 130 innings in a major league season and he’s never hit 165.

The rate stats were good enough that the Astros signed him to a five-year, $85MM extension for the 2022-2026 seasons. He’ll make $17MM next year in the final campaign of that pact.

Photo courtesy of Thomas Shea, Imagn Images

Astros Select Zach Cole

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3:15pm: The Astros have officially selected Cole, per Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle. Salazar has been optioned to Triple-A as the corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, righty Luis Garcia has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. Garcia just landed on the 15-day IL this week due to elbow discomfort, so his season is over. It was already ominous that he landed on the IL at all since he missed over two years due to elbow issues and just recently returned. This quick move to the 60-day IL doesn’t do anything to improve the outlook.

9:57am: The Astros are calling up outfielder Zach Cole for tonight’s series opener in Atlanta, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Houston will need to select his contract and make corresponding moves for both the active and 40-man rosters.

Cole was a 10th-round pick out of Ball State in 2022. He had a rare power-speed combination for a hitter selected that late in the draft, especially one out of college. That reflected significant trepidation on the part of scouts about Cole’s pure hitting ability. He has posted alarming whiff rates throughout his minor league career, but his bottom line production has been strong at every stop.

The left-handed hitting Cole has a .249/.357/.469 slash over parts of four minor league seasons. That includes a .279/.377/.539 showing with 19 homers and 18 stolen bases in 97 games this year. Cole has spent the bulk of the year in Double-A. Houston just promoted him to Triple-A two weeks ago. He was then slated to head to the Arizona Fall League but instead forced his way to the majors by hitting .353 with five homers in his first 15 Triple-A contests.

Cole’s breakout season has still come with a strikeout rate above 35%. It’s very difficult to find consistent success with that level of swing-and-miss, which will presumably only increase against big league pitching. Houston won’t need to play him on an everyday basis though. Cole can cover all three outfield positions and brings an intriguing toolset to Joe Espada’s bench.

Houston called up César Salazar a couple weeks ago when Victor Caratini was down with a concussion. Salazar has stuck on the active roster since Caratini returned but isn’t playing much. Cole could provide more speed and pop off the bench. Taylor Trammell hasn’t hit well (.202/.302/.349 in 48 games) as a lefty-hitting fourth outfielder, so the Astros could also swap him out for Cole. They’d need to designate him for assignment to do that, as Trammell is out of minor league options.

Astros Place Luis Garcia On IL Due To Elbow Discomfort

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The Astros have placed right-hander Luis Garcia on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow discomfort, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Fellow righty Nick Hernandez has been recalled as the corresponding move.

At this point, it’s unclear how severe this elbow issue is, but it’s an ominous development. Garcia just returned from an absence of more than two years related to that elbow. He had undergone Tommy John surgery in 2023. He tried to get back on the mound in 2024 but repeatedly hit setbacks, eventually missing that entire season. Here in 2025, he was on the IL until just over a week ago.

Garcia took the ball on September 1st against the Angels, his first big league game since May of 2023. That start went well, as he allowed three earned runs over six innings. He made a second start against the Blue Jays yesterday but his velocity was noticeably down. He averaged 91.4 miles per hour against the Angels. He was largely in the 93-94 mph range earlier in his career but that drop wasn’t necessarily a flag. Pitchers sometimes return before they are back to 100% strength and Garcia had spoken of his belief that more velocity was to come. Instead, his fastball velo dropped to 90.2 mph against Toronto. In the second inning, he summoned the training staff to the mound and was quickly removed from the game.

Time will tell if this is another minor setback or something more serious. The fact that the Astros have quickly placed him on the IL doesn’t bode well for the short term. Even a minimum stint would extend into the final days of the regular season schedule. An absence of three weeks or more would push into October. It’s entirely possible his season is done, though the club will presumably release more info at some point.

Obviously, a more extreme outcome would be awful. At this point, another major elbow surgery would put his 2026 season in jeopardy. He’s already lost most of the 2023-2025 seasons. Another lengthy surgery rehab would give him a stretch of four years with each season either being totally or partially lost.

Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Garcia tossed 312 2/3 innings with a 3.60 earned run average, 25.4% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate. He also made seven postseason appearances in that span, helping the club win the 2022 World Series. Since then, as mentioned, he has hardly been on the mound.

The absences have cut into his earning power. He first qualified for arbitration going into 2024 and earned $1.875MM that year. After missing that entire campaign, he agreed to the same salary for 2025. Next year would be his final arb year before he’s slated for free agency. Given his very limited workload this year, he should be in line for effectively the same salary again in 2026. That’s barely above the league minimum and a fine price for Houston if they think he can get healthy. Though if he’s slated for another long absence, he would become a clear non-tender candidate.

For the Astros, this adds to their injury pile for the stretch run. They have already lost Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski and Brandon Walter to season-ending surgeries. Spencer Arrighetti is on the IL due to elbow inflammation and going for a second opinion. In the bullpen, Josh Hader, John Rooney, Kaleb Ort and Bennett Sousa are all on the IL. The position player group is without Isaac Paredes and others.

Despite all those injuries, the Astros are clinging to a narrow division lead. The still sit atop the American League West, but the Mariners are only one game back with the Rangers only 2.5 games behind. The Astros still have a very good shot at making the postseason but every new injury will make it more challenging to hang on.

Their rotation now consists of Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, Jason Alexander and Cristian Javier. They have Lance McCullers Jr. and J.P. France in the bullpen and could put one of them in the rotation, though neither is having a great year. Colton Gordon is on the 40-man roster but was just optioned four days ago. He can’t be recalled until 15 days after that optioning unless directly replacing a player going on the IL. Non-roster options in Triple-A include Miguel Ullola, Ethan Pecko and Jose Fleury.

Photo courtesy of Erik Williams, Imagn Images

Astros’ Brandon Walter, John Rooney To Undergo Elbow Surgery

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Astros left-handers Brandon Walter and John Rooney will undergo season-ending elbow surgery this week, the team announced. Houston did not specify the sort of procedure either pitcher will require. Walter landed on the injured list due to elbow inflammation back in late July. Rooney also hit the IL due to inflammation, though his original placement was just a couple weeks ago.

In an additional bit of ominous news, the Astros announced that right-hander Spencer Arrighetti is slated to receive a second opinion on his elbow this week. Arrighetti, like Walter and Rooney, was originally placed on the IL due to inflammation in his elbow. (It’s common for elbow injuries to be originally diagnosed as inflammation and for a more specific diagnosis to become apparent once the swelling/inflammation dies down and a better look at the joint’s structural integrity is available.) A second opinion will conjure up fears of a worst-case scenario, though Houston has not yet suggested that surgery is on the table.

Walter’s injury is particularly deflating. The left-hander missed all of the 2024 season due to a strained rotator cuff in his left shoulder. He wound up being cut loose by the Red Sox, signing with the Astros on a minor league deal, and emerging as a key member of the 2025 staff.

In nine starts, the 29-year-old Walter pitched 53 2/3 innings and logged a 3.35 ERA, 24.5% strikeout rate and immaculate 1.9% walk rate. That breakout performance, even if truncated by this elbow injury, proved pivotal at a time when the Astros were reeling from injuries to Ronel Blanco, Hayden Wesneski and Arrighetti (who, at that point, was still on the mend from a fractured thumb rather than his current elbow concern).

Rooney, 28, made his big league debut with Houston last month. He tossed 1 1/3 innings, allowed a run, and seemingly suffered an elbow injury in the middle of that debut effort. It’s unfortunate for any player to incur an injury, though if there’s a silver lining it’s that Rooney will pick up major league service time and pay for the final four-plus weeks of the season, dating back to his Aug. 24 promotion. Had he not sustained the injury, he might’ve been optioned back to Triple-A Sugar Land at any point.

That’s probably not much consolation to Rooney, a former Dodgers third-rounder who grinded through the better part of eight professional seasons before finally getting to the majors with his third organization. He’s split the 2025 season between the Triple-A affiliates for the Marlins and Astros, pitching to a combined 2.56 ERA with a huge 34.2% strikeout rate but a clunky 14.9% walk rate.

As for Arrighetti, it’s a most unwelcome development for a pitcher who hasn’t seemed to catch any luck this year. The 25-year-old’s previously referenced fractured thumb occurred when he was playing catch in the outfield during batting practice early in the season and was struck by a line drive from a teammate. He returned from that injury in early August and made five starts, struggling through the first three before appearing to turn a corner in the fourth. In his final two starts before going back to the IL, he logged 12 innings and held opponents to three runs on seven hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts.

Manager Joe Espada had already conceded that Arrighetti’s injury might cost him the remainder of the season. Word of a second opinion from an external source only serves to increase that likelihood.

In the meantime, the Astros will turn to righty J.P. France to help deepen the staff. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports that France is with the club in Toronto and is expected to pitch out of the bullpen. The 30-year-old France had shoulder surgery last summer and missed much of the current season rehabbing. He’s been pitching as a multi-inning reliever in Triple-A recently, though his last outing was a start: five innings of one-run ball against the Dodgers’ top affiliate.

France has an unsightly 6.59 ERA in 27 1/3 innings of Triple-A work overall this season, but he’s pitched better of late, including a pair of five-inning appearances with one combined run in his past four trips to the mound. He’ll give Espada some length at a time when Houston has eight pitchers on the big league injured list.

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