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Astros Among Teams With Interest In Luis Castillo

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Luis Castillo is among the league’s highest-profile trade candidates. The hard-throwing righty is having another excellent season, and with a year and a half of remaining club control, he’s a good bet to move from the 34-55 Reds to a contender in the next couple weeks.

Virtually every win-now team figures to inquire on Castillo, who’d upgrade any rotation. The Dodgers, Yankees, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Mariners, and Twins have all been linked to tied to the Cincinnati starter in recent weeks. Erik Boland of Newsday (Twitter link) and Sweeny Murti of WFAN (on Twitter) both report the Astros are also in the mix. Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds that teams like the Mets and Padres, who’d been linked to Castillo early in the process, are likelier to prioritize adding offensive help than an impact starter.

That said, even teams with enviable rotation depth figure to at least kick the tires on Castillo over the coming weeks. Houston’s interest is indicative of that, as they have arguably the best starting pitching outlook in the game. Astros starters rank second in the majors in ERA (3.15) and innings pitched (505), while they’re ninth in strikeout percentage (23.6%). That’s in spite of zero contributions from Lance McCullers Jr., perhaps the team’s top pitcher in 2021, as he’s rehabbed from a forearm issue.

Few teams would be able to comfortably withstand an injury to a pitcher of McCullers’ caliber, but Houston’s rotation has thrived nevertheless. All six of the Astros starters to eclipse 30 innings this season have an ERA of 4.08 or lower. Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez own sub-3.00 marks. Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia are in the mid-3.00s with strong strikeout totals, while Jake Odorizzi (3.38) and José Urquidy (4.08) have solid results despite lacking huge whiff totals.

With McCullers also expected to return at some point after the All-Star Break, the Astros certainly don’t need to add another starter. Castillo’s performance, though, is impressive enough they’ll join virtually every other contender in checking in with Reds’ general manager Nick Krall and his staff. Despite pitching in a hitter-friendly home ballpark, Castillo has a 3.49 ERA with an above-average 26.8% strikeout rate and an elite 55.2% grounder percentage over the past three and a half seasons. That includes a personal-best 2.77 ERA through 13 starts this year. Castillo’s swinging strike and ground-ball numbers are down a touch, but he’s still been better than league average in both regards.

Castillo has been especially excellent of late, pitching at peak form as the August 2 deadline draws nearer. He’s allowed one or fewer runs in each of his past four outings, striking out 33 against nine walks over his last 27 innings. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic examined Castillo’s strong recent run this morning, noting that the right-hander worked with the Cincinnati coaching staff to tweak the grip on his four-seam fastball this year.

In addition to his excellent results, the 29-year-old would be an eminently affordable pickup for acquiring teams. He’s playing this season on a $7.35MM salary, approximately $2.9MM of which will remain to be paid out after the deadline. He should be in line for a decent arbitration raise next winter, but even a 2023 salary in the $12-15MM range would be a strong bargain for a pitcher of his caliber.

Cincinnati is widely expected to field offers on both Castillo and rotation mate Tyler Mahle, who is also in his penultimate year of club control. Andy Martino of SNY reports that talks on at least the former have yet to get underway in much detail, suggesting those discussions figure to accelerate after the upcoming amateur draft. The Reds are sure to set a lofty asking price once discussions begin in earnest. Heyman wrote earlier this week that Cincinnati was looking for one of the Yankees’ top shortstop prospects, Anthony Volpe or Oswald Peraza, to get Castillo talks underway. Heyman suggested last night that New York remains firmly against parting with either player, even after losing Luis Severino to the injured list due to a lat strain.

Astros Place Yordan Alvarez On IL With Hand Injury

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2:40pm: The Astros have announced that Alvarez has been placed on the IL, with outfield Jose Siri recalled to take his place on the active roster.

2:15 pm: The Astros are going to place Yordan Alvarez on the 10-day injured list due to a hand injury, reports Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest.

Alvarez dealt with a hand issue back in June that caused him to miss a few games. He has evidently been playing through the injury since that time, with Morales relaying word from manager Dusty Baker that the issue has been getting worse. Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle relays that the club is hoping that a period of rest can help the slugger be ready for their series against the Yankees, which is right after the All-Star break.

Due to the upcoming break, this is probably the best time for a player to hit the IL due to a nagging injury. If he can return after a minimum stay, as the Astros hope, Alvarez could miss just seven games. After the All-Star break, the Astros are in for a bit of a grind, as they start with a double-header against the Yankees as part of a stretch wherein they play 19 games in 18 days. By going on the IL now, he’ll miss games against the A’s and Angels but potentially be ready to go for that stretch where they play the Yankees, Mariners, A’s, Red Sox and Guardians.

Although Houston is clearly of the opinion this is a minor issue that be quickly cleared up, it’s still noteworthy that it’s lingered for the past three weeks, as it was June 19 that the hand issue first forced him to miss a game. Of course, it’s also noteworthy given that Alvarez has been perhaps the best hitter on the planet this year. With 26 home runs and an overall slash line of .306/.405/.653, he’s been 97% better than the league average hitter this year. His 197 wRC+ is first among qualified hitters, six points ahead of Paul Goldschmidt’s 191 and 20 points ahead of Aaron Judge’s 171.

Alvarez has largely been used as a DH this year, with 33 left field appearances mixed in. With Michael Brantley also on the IL, this leaves the club a little stretched on the grass, with Kyle Tucker, Jake Meyers and Chas McCormick likely getting the bulk of the regular action. Aledmys Diaz, Mauricio Dubon and J.J. Matijevic are also around as outfield-capable options.

There’s little reason for the Astros or their fans to panic, as their 55-29 record gives them a 12-game lead in the AL West. If the injuries to either Alvarez or Brantley linger towards the vicinity of the August 2 trade deadline, the club could always look to outfield upgrades at that point.

Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle first relayed that Alvarez was not with the team and that the issue was his hand (Twitter links). Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest relayed that he was indeed landing on the IL.

Astros Reinstate Jake Odorizzi From 15-Day IL

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The Astros activated right-hander Jake Odorizzi from the 15-day injured list, and the veteran will take the hill tonight for a start against the Royals.  In the corresponding roster move, righty Enoli Paredes has been optioned to Triple-A.

Odorizzi last pitched on May 16, when he suffered tendon and ligament damage (but no tears or strains) while running to cover first base on a fielding play.  While missing over six weeks of action is no small matter, it seemed as if Odorizzi’s season could be in jeopardy when he was carted off the field.

Now, the righty will return to Houston’s rotation and try to continue what has been a successful season to date.  Odorizzi has a 3.13 ERA over seven starts and 31 2/3 innings, despite some below-average strikeout and walk rates. Though Odorizzi hasn’t allowed much hard contact, a .320 xwOBA (well above his .269 wOBA) indicates that some regression could be in order.

Given the overall quality of the Astros rotation, Odorizzi will have to pitch well to make his case for a possible postseason start, though he likely isn’t in any danger of losing a rotation spot.  With their number of arms on hand and the team’s desire to keep everyone fresh and healthy for October, the Astros could stick with a six-man rotation or perhaps just float starters in and out of the rotation in order to manage innings.

Astros Promote Korey Lee

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The Astros are promoting catching prospect Korey Lee to make his major league debut, as was first reported by Mark Berman of Fox 26 (on Twitter). Backup catcher Jason Castro is headed to the 10-day injured list with left knee discomfort. To clear space for Lee on the 40-man roster, lefty reliever Blake Taylor is being transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day IL.

Lee is a former supplemental first-rounder, having been taken 32nd overall in the 2019 draft. A Cal-Berkeley product, he hadn’t been seen by many public prospect evaluators as a first-round talent at the time. Houston’s decision to nab him early looks strong in retrospect, as Lee has played his way to the majors a little less than three years later.

The righty-hitting backstop has also raised his stock in the eyes of most evaluators. Each of Baseball America and FanGraphs placed him among the game’s top 100 overall prospects heading into the season. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN and Keith Law of the Athletic each placed him just outside their top 100 and ranked him among the three best farmhands in the Houston system.

Across the board, those outlets suggested Lee could develop into a capable #1 catcher at his peak. His carrying tool is an arm that garners grades between plus and plus-plus (a 60 or 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale), and he’s generally regarded as a solid or better overall defender. Lee’s bat is more of a question, as he’s struggled against upper level pitching after mashing in the low minors.

The 2022 season has been particularly challenging, as Lee carries only a .226/.285/.419 line with ten home runs through 270 plate appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land. He’s flashed some power, with a .194 ISO (slugging percentage minus batting average) that’s north of the league average, but he’s only walked in 6.7% of his plate appearances against an elevated 27% strikeout rate.

Given those struggles against upper minors pitching, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Lee eventually optioned back to Sugar Land. The Astros have long placed a premium on defense behind the plate, though, as evidenced by their commitment to the light-hitting Martín Maldonado in recent years. Maldonado will remain the primary option, while Lee will take Castro’s spot as his backup while the latter is out. Houston would’ve had to add Lee to the 40-man roster at the end of this season anyhow to keep him from being taken in next winter’s Rule 5 draft.

Taylor, meanwhile, has been out since June 4 with discomfort in his throwing elbow. There’s no clear timetable for his return, and he’ll now be ineligible to pitch in the majors until the first week of August. Injuries to Taylor and Parker Mushinski have left manager Dusty Baker to handle an all right-handed bullpen at times, and it stands to reason the front office will look into acquiring a southpaw over the next few weeks.

Injury Notes: Eflin, Brantley, Woodruff, Polanco

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The Phillies placed starter Zach Eflin on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 26, with a bruised right knee. Outfielder Oscar Mercado, claimed off waivers from the Guardians yesterday, has been added to the active roster in a corresponding move. Eflin told reporters he’s hopeful he could return after a minimal IL stay, which would only cost him two starts (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). The 28-year-old underwent surgery on both knees back in 2016, and he underwent another procedure to correct patellar issues in his right knee last September. His current injury doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as concerning, but the Phillies figure to be particularly cautious in bringing him back given that history.

An impending free agent, Eflin has made 13 starts this season. He owns a 4.37 ERA over 68 innings, striking out 19.6% of opposing hitters against a minuscule 5.3% walk rate. That kind of strike-throwing stability has made the former Padres farmhand a reliable member of the Philadelphia rotation for the past six-plus years. The Phils plan to recall left-hander Bailey Falter to start Friday night’s game in Eflin’s place, tweets Matt Gelb of the Athletic.

Some other injured list moves from around the game:

  • The Astros placed left fielder Michael Brantley on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 27, due to right shoulder discomfort. Chas McCormick, who’d been optioned over the weekend, has been recalled to take his place on the active roster. (Position players typically need to spend a minimum of ten days in the minors after being optioned, but they can be recalled earlier if replacing an injured player). Brantley downplayed  any long-term concerns, telling reporters (including Brian McTaggart of MLB.com) he was hopeful he could make it back after a brief stint. The 35-year-old continues to perform very well at the plate, carrying a .288/.370/.416 line through 277 plate appearances this season.
  • The Brewers welcomed a pair of key contributors back from the injured list this evening. Righty Brandon Woodruff and second baseman Kolten Wong have each been reinstated, with Trevor Kelley and Pablo Reyes optioned out in corresponding moves. Woodruff will get the start during today’s game with the Rays, while Wong steps back in at the keystone. It’s the first MLB start in a month for Woodruff, who’s been out while dealing with a high ankle sprain and some hand numbness stemming from Raynaud’s syndrome. Wong has been out for three weeks on account of a calf strain.
  • Between games of today’s doubleheader with the Guardians, the Twins brought back second baseman Jorge Polanco from the injured list. Outfielder Mark Contreras was optioned to Triple-A St. Paul to open active roster space. The switch-hitting Polanco is hitting fifth for the nightcap against Cleveland. He missed a little less than two weeks with some lower back tightness. Through 250 plate appearances, Polanco is hitting .245/.340/.389 with seven home runs. His return figures to push Luis Arraez back to first base and designated hitter, perhaps freeing Alex Kirilloff to see more time in left field. Minnesota lost primary left fielder Trevor Larnach to a core muscle injury over the weekend; he’s undergoing surgery and expected to miss six weeks.

Angels Claim Dillon Thomas, Designate Kyle Barraclough For Assignment

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The Angels announced Monday that they’ve claimed corner outfielder Dillon Thomas off waivers from the Astros and assigned him to Triple-A Salt Lake. Righty Kyle Barraclough was designated for assignment in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Thomas makes his return to the Halos, with which he signed a minor league contract over the winter. He spent much of the season in Salt Lake, hitting .295/.398/.489 with eight home runs through 211 trips to the plate. That earned him a big league call a few weeks back, but he was designated for assignment after a lone appearance.

The 29-year-old landed with his hometown Astros via waivers, but his stint in the Houston organization didn’t last much longer than his initial stay on the Halos’ 40-man roster. He was immediately optioned to Triple-A by the Astros and designated for assignment after just five outings there. Thomas didn’t appear in an MLB game with Houston and now heads back to the organization with which he began the 2021 season.

An 11-year minor league veteran, Thomas only has five games of big league experience (four with last year’s Mariners, one with Anaheim). He owns an impressive upper minors track record and is only in his second option year, though, making him an interesting upper level depth player for clubs. Thomas will hope for a more lasting stay on the Angels’ roster this time around.

Barraclough was also an offseason minor league signee. The reliever was an excellent late-game weapon for the Marlins early in his career, but he’s struggled with his control and home runs in recent years. He’s bounced around the league in journeyman fashion going back to 2019. That included a ten-game stint with the Twins last season, and he appeared in eight games with Anaheim this year after getting called up in early May.

The 32-year-old tossed nine innings of three-run ball, punching out nine while walking four. He averaged just north of 93 MPH on his fastball, right in line with his recent seasons’ work but down about three ticks from his peak days in Miami. The Angels will have a week to trade Barraclough or place him on waivers. He’d have the right to refuse a minor league assignment in favor of free agency if he passes through waivers unclaimed.

Astros Reinstate Jeremy Pena, Option Chas McCormick

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The Astros announced to reporters, including Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle, that shortstop Jeremy Pena has been reinstated from the injured list. Outfielder Chas McCormick was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Pena landed on the IL due to some thumb discomfort but has returned fairly quickly, as no serious structural damage was found. That’s surely good news for the Astros, as the rookie is enjoying an excellent debut season. His .277/.333/.471 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 132, or 32% better than the league average hitter. He’s also added excellent shortstop defense, producing 6 OAA and 6 DRS, although UZR is more bearish, placing him at -3.5. He’s already produced 2.4 wins above replacement on the season, according to FanGraphs. That’s the highest such mark among rookies this year, making him a serious contender for AL Rookie of the Year honors, though Julio Rodriguez is hot on his heels at 2.3 fWAR.

The news on McCormick is somewhat surprising, as he’s been close to an everyday player this year. After last year’s trade of Myles Straw and the injury to Jake Meyers, McCormick and Jose Siri became the team’s regular center fielders. McCormick has put up a line of .219/.291/.394 this year for a 98 wRC+, a slight drop from last year’s 109 but still around league average. Jose Siri, on the other hand, has a batting line of .185/.248/.315 for a wRC+ of 64. Meyers returned from his injury on Friday, with Siri being optioned to the minors. McCormick seemed safe as the bench outfielder, backing up Meyers, Kyle Tucker, Michael Brantley and Yordan Alvarez, who would regularly slot into the three outfield positions and designated hitter.

Perhaps the Astros preferred McCormick to get regular at-bats in the minors, as opposed to riding the pine in the majors. Whatever the reason, the club now has J.J. Matijevic, Mauricio Dubon and Aledmys Diaz as the outfield safety net. This move has potential service time implications for McCormick, as he entered the year with exactly one year of MLB service time. Had he stayed on the big league roster, he would have reached arbitration after the 2023 campaign and then free agency after 2026. If he spends a few weeks in the minors, he will be unable to get a full year of service time here in 2022, thus pushing his free agency back by a year. He could still qualify for arbitration after 2023 as a Super Two player, however, depending on how much time he spends on the farm.

Texas Notes: No-Hitter, Pena, McCullers, Duran, Hearn, Garver

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Cristian Javier, Hector Neris, and Ryan Pressly combined for the 14th no-hitter in Astros history, as Houston earned a 3-0 win over the Yankees today in the Bronx.  Javier handled much of the work over seven innings, with Neris and Pressly each contributing an inning of hitless pitching to stifle the lineup of the league-leading Yankees.  It was the first time in over 19 years that New York had been no-hit, also at hands of the Astros — six Houston pitchers blanked the Yankees on June 11, 2003.

More from both the Astros and Rangers, as we run down baseball news from the Lone Star State….

  • Jeremy Pena is likely to return to Houston’s lineup on Sunday, as the rookie shortstop took batting practice today.  Left thumb discomfort sent Pena to the 10-day injured list on June 15, though an MRI didn’t reveal any damage.  It thankfully looks like only a minor injury for Pena, and he’ll now get to resume his outstanding rookie season.  Making his MLB debut earlier this year, Pena has hit .277/.333/.471 with nine homers over his first 211 plate appearances, though his hot bat had been cooling off in the two weeks prior to his IL stint.
  • Lance McCullers Jr. was the pitcher throwing to Pena, with McCullers tossing around 20 pitches during the overall BP session.  McCullers told MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart and other reporters that his repertoire included changeups, sinkers, and a slider, and he was throwing as hard as 93mph.  Since suffering a flexor tendon strain during last year’s postseason and then a rehab setback in January, McCullers has been slowly working his way back, and is still likely a month or so away from a minor league rehab assignment.
  • After today’s 3-2 win over the Nationals, the Rangers optioned left-hander Taylor Hearn and infielder Ezequiel Duran to Triple-A.  Corresponding moves will be made prior to tomorrow’s game.  Hearn was the bulk pitcher in today’s bullpen game, allowing only two walks over four scoreless innings, though it was a rare quality outing an otherwise rough season for the southpaw.  Even with today’s game on his ledger, Hearn still has a 5.86 ERA over 63 innings, starting 13 of his 14 games.  Texas called Duran up to the majors for his MLB debut earlier this month, and the top-100 prospect hit .258/.281/.435 with two home runs over 64 PA.  Duran had been seeing most of the playing time at third base, but with Josh Smith now back from the IL, Duran will continue his development with an everyday role at Triple-A rather than part-time duty in the Show.
  • Mitch Garver went 0-for-2 with a walk against the Nats today, dropping the veteran’s slash line to .201/.288/.383 for the season, over 170 PA.  Garver has been trying to play through a damaged flexor tendon in his throwing forearm, but he told reporters (including Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News) that he would make a decision by the All-Star break whether or not to undergo season-ending surgery.  With a 7-8 month recovery time required for the surgery, Garver would miss little to none of Spring Training by getting the procedure relatively soon.  It is possible Garver could instead try to rehab the forearm problem without surgery, but Grant writes “that route is more uncertain” in terms of a recovery timeline or what it might mean for Garver’s 2023 season.  Since suffering the flexor injury, Garver hasn’t been able to play catcher, so the Rangers have been limiting him to DH or pinch-hitting duty.

Astros Activate Jake Meyers From 60-Day IL, Designate Dillon Thomas

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The Astros announced they’ve designated outfielder Dillon Thomas for assignment in order to clear a 40-man roster spot for Jake Meyers, who is back from the 60-day injured list. Houston optioned Jose Siri to Triple-A Sugar Land to clear active roster space for Meyers.

Thomas, 29, went 0-for-2 with a walk and was a hit-by-pitch in four plate appearances during a very brief stint with the ’Stros. He’s logged just 13 total plate appearances in the Majors, also stepping to the plate nine times as a member of the Mariners a year ago. The 2011 fourth-rounder (Rockies) has split the rest of the 2022 season between the Triple-A affiliates for the Angels and Astros, posting a combined .293/.395/.492 batting line — numbers that generally align with his career .277/.382/.462 output in parts of three seasons at that level. Houston will have a week to trade Thomas, pass him through outright waivers or release him.

Meyers’ return should be a boon for the Astros’ lineup. The 26-year-old made his big league debut in 2021 and impressed with a .260/.323/.438 batting line, six home runs and eight doubles in 163 plate appearances. He also turned in well above-average work in the outfield according to each of Defensive Runs Saved, Ultimate Zone Rating and Outs Above Average.

Were it not for a shoulder injury sustained during last year’s ALDS — one that eventually required surgery after a torn labrum was discovered — Meyers could very well have been the Opening Day center fielder. Time will tell whether he’s able to approximate last year’s solid debut effort, but if he can indeed do so, there’s an opening for the former 13th-rounder to solidify himself as a long-term solution for the Astros alongside Kyle Tucker in the outfield.

For the 26-year-old Siri, the 2022 season has been a struggle. After kicking down the door to the Majors with a .318/.369/.552 batting line in Triple-A last year and subsequently hitting .304/.347/.609 in 49 big league plate appearances, Siri went from minor league signee to a viable big league outfield option. Unfortunately, he hasn’t come anywhere close to that production this season, hitting just .185/.248/.315 in 141 turns at the plate. Siri is in his final minor league option year, creating some further urgency for him to turn things around at the plate.

Astros Place Josh James On 60-Day Injured List

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The Astros have reinstated first baseman/corner outfielder Taylor Jones from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land, per Mark Berman of Fox 26 (via Twitter). To make room on the 40-man roster, the club recalled reliever Josh James and placed him on the major league 60-day injured list.

Jones has yet to play in the majors this season, as he began the year on the IL with a lower back injury. That kept him out for a few months, but he began a minor league rehab assignment on June 3. Position players are allotted up to 20 days on a rehab stint, so the time came for the Astros to reinstate him. He’s struggled over 14 rehab games with Sugar Land, however, and the club will keep him with the Space Cowboys on optional assignment.

The 28-year-old Jones saw some big league action in Houston during both the 2020-21 seasons. He’s tallied 130 plate appearances at the highest level, compiling a .236/.262/.398 line with a trio of home runs. The Gonzaga product has a more impressive .279/.373/.487 mark across parts of four Triple-A seasons. Assuming he spends 20+ days on optional assignment this season, he’ll exhaust his final option year.

James is dealing with a right lat strain. He hasn’t pitched in eight days and will now be ruled out for at least another two months. The right-hander broke into the big leagues late in the 2018 season, impressing with a 2.35 ERA in 23 innings while averaging over 97 MPH on his fastball. He struck out 37.6% of opponents over a career-high 61 1/3 frames the following year, but he paired that swing-and-miss stuff with home run troubles and wobbly control en route to a 4.70 ERA.

Issues with his left hip cost James much of the 2020-21 seasons, and he struggled during his limited looks on the mound. He’s spent the entire 2022 campaign with Sugar Land, posting a 7.59 ERA through 21 1/3 innings. His strikeout rate has plummeted to 20.6% in the minors, while he’s walked almost 16% of opponents. He won’t be back until mid-August at the earliest, and it’s possible his time in the organization could be nearing its end.

James is making $800K this season after avoiding arbitration over the winter. While he’ll accrue service time during his IL stint, he’s already spent enough time in the minors he won’t eclipse four-plus service years this season. Theoretically, he’s controllable through 2025, although he’ll probably be a non-tender candidate next offseason considering his minor league performance and renewed injury concerns.

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