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Astros Activate Yuli Gurriel, Place Kyle Tucker On Injured List

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The Astros are exchanging one offensive star for another, as Yuli Gurriel was activated off the 10-day injured list today, but outfielder Kyle Tucker is now heading to the IL.  No specific reason was given for Tucker’s placement beyond health and safety protocols.

Gurriel’s IL stint retroactively began on August 3, so he is back after a minimal absence due to neck stiffness.  The 37-year-old will now resume what has been the finest of his six MLB seasons, as Gurriel is hitting .324/.388/.490 with 12 home runs over 417 plate appearances as Houston’s everyday first baseman.  Gurriel has delivered both quality contact and quantity, as he has one of the lowest strikeout rates of any player in baseball — he has almost as many walks (41) as strikeouts (45) this season.

Tucker isn’t far off Gurriel’s overall offensive production, as the outfielder has 22 homers and a .272/.334/.519 slash line over 420 plate appearances.  The non-specific nature of Tucker’s placement would hint that his absence is related to COVID-19, though it could be due to contact tracing or general symptoms rather than an actual positive test for the coronavirus.  (As a reminder, teams aren’t obligated to publicly disclose reasons why a player is on the COVID list.)  Tucker already spent a week on the COVID list in June for precautionary reasons after he displayed flu-like symptoms.

Astros Reinstate Pedro Baez From Injured List

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The Astros announced they’re activating reliever Pedro Báez from the 60-day injured list in advance of tonight’s game against the Rockies. Bullpen colleague Rafael Montero is landing on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder discomfort in a corresponding move. To open space for Báez on the 40-man roster, the club transferred righty Andre Scrubb from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.

Báez, signed to a two-year deal over the winter, is finally in line to make his Astros debut. The 33-year-old missed a few weeks in Spring Training after testing positive for COVID-19, then felt soreness in his right shoulder during his attempt to ramp up a throwing program. The latter issue has kept him out of action for the past few months as the soreness has persisted. Fortunately, he’s now apparently healthy and able to contribute for the stretch run.

During his time with the Dodgers, Báez was quietly one of the league’s more consistent and productive relievers. He posted an ERA between 2.63 and 3.35 during each of his seven seasons in L.A. While Báez’s run prevention numbers never wavered, his peripherals have tailed off in recent seasons. The righty struck out a career-worst 18.6% of opponents last year with accompanying dips in swinging strike rate and velocity.

That came in a 17-inning sample during an anomalous year, though, and the Astros felt comfortable enough to add Báez on a $12.5MM guarantee. If he pitches at or near the level he showed throughout his Dodgers’ tenure, Báez would be a significant upgrade to a Houston relief unit that’s middle of the pack in terms of ERA (3.97) and strikeout/walk rate differential (15.2 percentage points).

Houston added Montero alongside Kendall Graveman from the Mariners at the trade deadline as part of an effort to shore up the bullpen. Montero had a nightmarish time in Seattle, but he’d begun his Astros tenure with six innings of one-run ball. He left Sunday’s game against the Twins with a shoulder issue, though, and his recovery timeline remains uncertain.

Scrubb is also down with a shoulder issue. The 26-year-old landed on the IL on July 19 with a strain. Today’s transfer rules him out for sixty days from that date, so he’s looking at a mid-September return in a best case scenario. There’s no word on whether or not the team expects he’ll be able to pitch again this season.

Manager Dusty Baker provided reporters (including Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle and Mark Berman of FOX 26) with updates on a pair of different injured players. Star third baseman Alex Bregman still isn’t ready to return, and his allotted twenty-day rehab window has passed. League rules stipulate that position players not prepared to return after the conclusion of their rehab period must remain inactive for at least five days before reembarking on a minor league assignment, so Bregman can’t return to game action until Friday.

Starter José Urquidy, meanwhile, is scheduled to begin his own rehab assignment tomorrow. Baker said the club is hopeful he’ll be back on a big league mound by September 1. Urquidy has been out since June 30 with right shoulder discomfort.

Astros Notes: Bregman, Brantley, Montero

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TODAY: Bregman is “not ready yet,” Baker said during a radio interview on SportsTalk 790 (hat tip to Chandler Rome of The Houston Chronicle).  The third baseman is “taking a couple days off to get some treatment” and will then presumably return to his minor league rehab assignment, with Baker hopeful Bregman can return to the Astros within 7-10 days.

AUGUST 8: Alex Bregman was in Houston today watching the Astros in action, and an official return to the field might not be far away.  Manager Dusty Baker told reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) that Bregman was meeting with the team after playing nine innings in each of his last two rehab games with Triple-A Sugar Land.

A left quad strain sent Bregman to the 10-day injured list back on June 17, so it will be just shy of a two-month absence for the third baseman if he is indeed activated this week.  The Astros have a two-game series with the Rockies sandwiched between off-days on Monday and Thursday this week, and if Bregman is already in Houston, it would hint that he could be reinstated from the IL as early as Tuesday.

Between his quad issue and a week-long absence in April due to COVID-19 protocols, Bregman has played in only 59 games this season, but he has still been productive in hitting .275/.359/.428 over 262 plate appearances.  This roughly matches his slash line over 180 PA in 2020, as Bregman was hampered by a hamstring injury last year and limited to 44 games of the 60-game regular season.  While a big step down from his MVP-caliber numbers in 2018 and 2019, Bregman is certainly still a dangerous bat when healthy, and his return will help bolster a Houston team that has its eyes on more postseason success.

While Bregman’s probable return is good news for the Astros, the club also had some more injury scares in today’s 7-5 loss to the Twins.  The Astros announced that Michael Brantley was removed for precautionary reasons after a blow to the head during a collision with Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons while running the bases early in the game.  Brantley, in the lineup as the DH, was replaced by a pinch-hitter in the third inning.

In the eighth, Rafael Montero had to depart one pitch into a Rob Refsnyder plate appearance.  Entering the game in the previous inning, Montero retired his first five batters before walking Miguel Sano, and then picking up some type of injury against Refsnyder.  Post-game, Baker said Montero was suffering from some shoulder soreness, and will receive further examination by the team’s medical staff.

Astros Place Yuli Gurriel On Injured List

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The Astros announced they’ve placed first baseman Yuli Gurriel on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 3, with neck stiffness. Infielders Taylor Jones and Jacob Wilson are up from Triple-A Sugar Land, while fellow infielder Robel García has been optioned out.

There’s no indication Gurriel’s facing any sort of lengthy absence, but he will miss at least the next week. It’s a bit of a disappointing development for a Houston team holding a four-game lead over the Athletics in the AL West. Jones is getting the start at first base tonight against the Twins.

Last September, the Astros re-signed Gurriel to a one-year, $7MM deal with an $8MM club option for 2022. That seemed like a curious decision at the time, given that the veteran was coming off a poor 2020 season, but the Astros have been rewarded handsomely for their faith. Gurriel has rebounded to hit a fantastic .324/.388/.490 (145 wRC+) over 417 plate appearances this season. Next year’s option now looks like a no-brainer to be exercised, and the 37-year-old figures to be an important middle-of-the-order presence for Houston as they look to make a deep postseason run.

J.R. Richard Passes Away

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In saddening news, the Astros announced this afternoon that former major league pitcher J.R. Richard passed away at the age of 71. The team will hold a moment of silence in his honor before this evening’s game against the Twins.

“Today is a sad day for the Houston Astros as we mourn the loss of one of our franchise icons, J.R. Richard,” the team wrote in a statement. “J.R. will forever be remembered as an intimidating figure on the mound and as one of the greatest players in club history. … We send our heartfelt condolences to J.R.’s wife, Lula, his family, friends and countless fans and admirers.”

Richard appeared in the majors from 1971-80, spending his entire career with the Astros. Regarded as one of the most electric pitchers of his era, Richard twice led MLB in strikeouts (1978-79), exceeding 300 punch outs in both seasons. The right-hander led the National League in K/9 and FIP both years, and his 2.71 ERA over 292 1/3 innings in 1979 was the league’s best. He appeared among the top ten in NL Cy Young Award balloting in each of 1976, 1978 and 1979 and picked up some down-ballot MVP support in 1976 and 1979.

1980 was shaping up to be perhaps Richard’s best season ever. He tossed 113 2/3 frames with career-low marks in ERA (1.90) and FIP (1.94), earning his first All-Star nod in the process. Tragically, he suffered a stroke that July that prevented him from ever again appearing in the major leagues.

While Richard’s playing career was cut short, his peak was among the better ones in major league history. He’ll be remembered for his on-field accomplishments as one of the greatest pitchers in Astros’ history, as well as his community work in the Houston area later in life. We at MLBTR send our condolences to Richard’s family, friends and loved ones.

Twins Claim Ralph Garza Jr.

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The Twins have claimed right-hander Ralph Garza Jr. off waivers from the Astros, per a club announcement. Garza has been assigned to Triple-A St. Paul for the time being. A corresponding 40-man roster move isn’t necessary, as Minnesota already had an open spot. Their 40-man roster is now full.

Garza was designated for assignment by the Astros over the weekend when they activated Josh James from the 60-day injured list. The 27-year-old Garza made his MLB debut earlier this season, totaling 11 innings out of the Houston bullpen and allowing five runs on 11 hits and seven walks with 14 punchouts. The righty sat at an average of 92.6 mph with his four-seamer and 90.6 mph with his sinker, also logging a 12.4 percent swinging-strike rate and a 30.9 percent opponents’ chase rate.

A 26th-round pick back in 2015, Garza has never ranked among Houston’s top tier of farmhands but has delivered decent results in the upper minors. He’s appeared in parts of four seasons in a very hitter-friendly Triple-A environment, working to a 3.72 ERA with a solid 25.8 percent strikeout rate and an 11.3 percent walk rate he’ll want to improve upon. Garza’s contract was only selected to the MLB roster this season, meaning he can be optioned freely for the remainder of the year and still carry another pair of option years down the road.

AL West Injury Notes: Gurriel, Bregman, Urquidy, Pinder

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Yuli Gurriel was scratched from tonight’s Astros game with neck stiffness, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Rome goes on to say that Gurriel was in “obvious discomfort” before speaking with the trainer. The 37-year-old is having his best season to date, with a slash of .324/.388/.490, producing a wRC+ of 145 and 3.0 fWAR. The extent of the injury is unclear at this point. But losing that level of production for any amount of time would be difficult to replace.

Help could be on the way, however, as Alex Bregman’s rehab is continuing tonight, according to Rome. There was some worry yesterday when he was pulled from a rehab game with hamstring tightness. But that seems to have been merely precautionary. Dusty Baker told Mark Berman of Fox 26 that they’re still hopeful he can return for their upcoming homestand, which runs from August 5th to 11th.

Other AL West notes…

  • Rome hears from Baker that Jose Urquidy is going to throw off a mound this week. Urquidy is currently mired in his second IL this year because of shoulder issues. When healthy, he’s been a solid member of Houston’s rotation, logging 77 1/3 innings with an ERA of 3.38. His strikeout rate is a bit low at 21.8%, but his walk rate is an excellent 4.3%. His most recent IL placement was in late June, meaning he will presumably need a few rehab starts to rebuild his workload after missing more than a month.
  • Chad Pinder was taking grounders on the field today, according to Matt Kawahara of The San Francisco Chronicle. A’s Manager Bob Melvin says that Pinder hasn’t yet run the bases but “sprinting feels close to 100 percent.” The utility man has been out since July 8th with a hamstring strain. Before that, he was having a disappointing season, with a slash of .216/.269/.358. He might struggle to find playing time when he returns, given the recent additions of Starling Marte and Josh Harrison to the Oakland lineup.

Astros Claim Jacob Wilson Off Waivers From A’s

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The Astros are claiming utilityman Jacob Wilson off waivers from the Athletics, according to announcements from both teams. Oakland had designated Wilson for assignment over the weekend. Righty Tyler Ivey is being transferred to the 60-day injured list to create 40-man roster space, relays Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link).

Wilson, 31, is a former Cardinals draftee who bounced between a few organizations without getting a major league shot before signing with the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization in 2019. The right-handed hitter performed well in South Korea before returning stateside, inking a minor league deal with the A’s over the offseason. He mashed at a .288/.385/.630 clip over 218 plate appearances with Triple-A Las Vegas (albeit in a hitter’s paradise) to earn his first big league call last month.

The A’s gave Wilson just seven plate appearances over six games (in which he picked up his first big league hit) before designating him upon acquiring Josh Harrison and Yan Gomes in a deadline deal with the Nationals. Clearly, the Astros were sufficiently intrigued by his minor league performance to give him another shot on a 40-man roster. Wilson saw action at each of second base, third base and in left field this season, and he still has all three minor league option years remaining. If Wilson sticks on the 40-man, he can serve as a bat-first mutli-position option to keep in the high minors.

Ivey suffered an elbow issue that he acknowledged in June was likely to end his season. He had been on the minor league injured list, but the Astros need to place him on the major league 60-day injured list to open a 40-man roster spot. Doing so will entitle Ivey to big league pay and service time for as long as he remains on the 60-day IL (presumably the remainder of the season).

Tigers Claim Nivaldo Rodriguez From Astros

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The Tigers announced they’ve claimed right-hander Nivaldo Rodríguez off waivers from the Astros and optioned him to Triple-A Toledo. Houston designated Rodríguez for assignment over the weekend. Detroit had a pair of vacancies on the 40-man roster, so no corresponding move was necessary.

Rodríguez has made nine appearances totaling sixteen innings of relief at the big league level over the past two seasons. He’s allowed nine runs over that span, giving up nineteen hits (including five homers) and issuing ten walks while striking out eleven. Rodríguez has spent more time with Triple-A Sugar Land this year, tossing 27 1/3 innings of 5.93 ERA ball with worse than average strikeout and walk rates (19.5% and 12.5%, respectively).

Nevertheless, it’s a sensible enough decision for the Tigers to take a no-risk flier on the 24-year-old. Rodríguez has worked exclusively in relief to this point in the big leagues, but he’s generally served as a starting pitcher in the minors. He’s shown a five-pitch mix (four-seam, sinker, slider, changeup, curveball) in his limited MLB time, so it’s not outlandish to think he could stick as high minors rotation depth.

Entering the season, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs called Rodríguez a likely fifth starter or long relief type, slotting him 17th among prospects in the Astros system. Rodríguez still has one minor league option year remaining beyond this season, so he can move freely between Detroit and Toledo through the end of 2022 if he sticks on the 40-man roster.

Astros Activate Josh James From Injured List

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The Astros activated reliever Josh James from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land last night. A 40-man roster spot was opened earlier in the day when right-hander Ralph Garza was designated for assignment.

James underwent left hip surgery last October, a procedure that originally called for a six-to-eight month recovery timeline. His rehab process was delayed a bit further by a hamstring issue, but the 28-year-old is now healthy enough to serve as a potential bullpen option in Houston down the stretch.

Between 2018-20, James made 68 appearances (including six starts) and tossed 101 2/3 frames, showing the ability to work multiple innings. James broke in with a 2.35 ERA over 23 innings as a rookie but hasn’t replicated that success over the past couple years. The hard-throwing righty has never had issues missing bats, striking out 34.1% of opponents on the strength of a huge 14.7% swinging strike rate over his big league career. James has struggled with control, though, walking an elevated 13.4% of batters faced. Between strike-throwing and health issues, he’s yet to cement himself as a consistent high-leverage reliever to this point, but he’s certainly flashed the upside to potentially do so moving forward.

In other Astros health news, star third baseman Alex Bregman was pulled from his rehab game with Sugar Land after experiencing some hamstring tightness last night, writes Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. The team called the early removal a precautionary measure, so it’s not clear whether it’ll have a substantial impact on the two-time All-Star’s return timetable. Bregman has been out since June 16 with a quad strain.

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