Astros Place Jose Altuve On Injured List
4:00pm: Altuve tells Chandler Rome of The Athletic that his MRI showed good news, as the issue is more minor than he was expecting. He didn’t want to put a specific timeline on his return but said he’s hoping to be back shortly after the All-Star break, per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.
2:35pm: The Astros announced Thursday that second baseman Jose Altuve has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to discomfort in his left oblique. The move is retroactive to July 4. Houston also optioned lefty Parker Mushinski to Triple-A Sugar Land and recalled infielder David Hensley and righty Ronel Blanco in a pair of corresponding moves. Blanco is slated to start tonight in the first of a four-game set against the division-rival Mariners.
Altuve has been out of the lineup the past couple of days after experiencing discomfort in that oblique during batting practice Tuesday. Manager Dusty Baker had already indicated that he’d be held out for a few more games, and the team will opt for a formal IL stint in order to operate with a full bench during an important series against a division rival that is within striking distance of Houston in the AL Wild Card chase. Altuve will now be out until at least next Friday, though the team hasn’t provided an expected timetable for his return. It’s possible he’ll be sidelined beyond that 10-day minimum, but it’s of at least some note that Houston didn’t list the injury as a “strain.”
It’s been a productive season for Altuve — when he’s been healthy enough to take the field, that is. This will be his second IL stint of the season, after he missed the first seven weeks of the 2023 season due to a broken thumb suffered during this year’s World Baseball Classic. Altuve, who just turned 33 a couple days ago, has posted a .264/.371/.479 batting line (138 wRC+) with six home runs, eight doubles, five steals, a 14% walk rate and a 17.5% walk rate in 143 plate appearances when healthy.
During Altuve’s prior absence, utilityman Mauricio Dubon stepped up and filled in more than capably. He’s been in a part-time role since that point but figures to pick up regular at-bats with Altuve sidelined a second time. In 284 plate appearances this season, the 28-year-old Dubon has posted a .292/.317/.417 slash with four homers, 18 doubles, two triples and five steals. He’s walked at just a 3.5% clip but has excelled at making contact, evidenced by a tiny 12% strikeout rate.
Baker: Michael Brantley Has “Plateaued” In Attempt To Rejoin Astros
Astros outfielder Michael Brantley still hasn’t played this season, repeatedly struggling to get fully back to health after last year’s shoulder surgery. Now manager Dusty Baker tells Chandler Rome of The Athletic that Brantley has “plateaued” in his attempt to come back (Twitter links). “He’s plateaued somewhat,” Baker said in response to a question of whether Brantley had increased his workload. “We want to increase it, but then we don’t want to have to go backwards either. I’d rather have it plateau for a while then increase it.”
Brantley, now 36, underwent the shoulder procedure in August of last year. He reached free agency at the end of last season and re-signed with the club on a one-year, $12MM deal with performance bonuses. Since then, he has made repeated attempts to get into game shape but has continued to hit speed bumps along the way, with the timeline continually pushed back.
He once seemed like he was going to be ready for Opening Day, but in early March, the expectation changed to “a week into the season at the worst.” He began the season on the injured list and the timeline then became that the club was hoping for a return in the “next couple of weeks.” He was sent out on a rehab assignment in late April but was shut down in early May due to inflammation. Since then, he has attempted to some baseball activities but hasn’t yet progressed enough to start another rehab assignment.
At this point, it’s very difficult to know what to make of Brantley’s current status or the likelihood of him returning to the field at all this year, let alone at his previous level of performance. The Astros are arguably the most evasive club in the league when it comes to providing health updates on their players and the ongoing Brantley saga has often been difficult to parse from the outside. While the long-term picture remains murky, today’s update seems to indicate that Brantley isn’t close to a return in the short term, since he’s still struggling to push his activities into another gear.
It’s undoubtedly frustrating both for Brantley and the Astros, who were surely hoping he could return as the consistently above-average hitter he’s been in his career. As recently as last year, prior to the surgery, he hit .288/.370/.416 through 277 plate appearances for a wRC+ of 127. But the club has been without that production at any point this year and has also seen Yordan Alvarez miss almost a month at this point due to a strained oblique.
Those two injuries have left Kyle Tucker the only left-handed bat to feature as a regular in the club’s lineup over the past few weeks and general manager Dana Brown has repeatedly highlighted another lefty bat as a deadline target. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the club is expecting Brantley to miss the remainder of the season, but perhaps the continual setbacks have made them realize that they can’t be wholly reliant on his return either.
The trade deadline is now effectively four weeks away, giving the club some time to gauge the market and continue to monitor Brantley’s progress. They are currently in possession of a Wild Card spot and figure to be making additions at that point regardless. They might also need some time to figure out who is available in trade talks, since few teams are clear-cut sellers at this point thanks to the expanded postseason and weak Central divisions.
Jeimer Candelario is a switch-hitter and should be available as an impending free agent on a rebuilding Nationals club. The Astros would likely prefer someone who can play the outfield, which Candelario has never done, but he could play the infield corners and serve as the designated hitter. Cody Bellinger could be available, though he’s struggled since coming off the injured list about three weeks ago and the Cubs are only six games back in the NL Central right now. Yasmani Grandal and Carlos Santana are switch-hitters that could be available, though both are hitting around league average so far this year, in addition to being in their mid-30s, making significant salaries and not being options for the outfield. Both of their clubs are also just 5.5 games back in their respective divisions.
The market will undoubtedly change quite a bit in the next few weeks as the on-field results push clubs in one direction or another, but the Astros seems likely to be shopping in this aisle. A return from Brantley could impact how aggressive they are in that pursuit, though it seems as though that’s not something they want to be banking on.
West Notes: Astros, Rodgers, Padres
The Astros have seen a great deal of upheaval in their rotation throughout the season, as established hurlers like Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, and Lance McCullers Jr. have spent much of the season on the injured list while up and comers like Hunter Brown and J.P. France have taken up roles in the rotation. In the midst of all that turmoil, left-hander Framber Valdez and right-hander Cristian Javier have stood as fixtures at the top of Houston’s rotation.
That figures to change in the coming days, however, as the club has scratched Valdez from his planned start against the Rangers tomorrow. Manager Dusty Baker indicated to reporters, including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, that Valdez had been battling with a sprained ankle since June 20 against the Mets, and the injury worsened during his last start against the Cardinals. Right-hander Shawn Dubin figures to take the ball in Valdez’s stead tomorrow, though his 10.80 ERA in five innings this season doesn’t exactly measure up to Valdez’s Cy Young-caliber performance this season.
Per Kawahara, Baker noted that Javier is still expected to make his start on Monday “as of right now” despite the fact that the right-hander is “scuffling a bit,” as indicated by his uncharacteristically lackluster 5.79 ERA in June. Chandler Rome and Eno Sarris of The Athletic suggest the Astros could push Javier’s next start back by calling up right-hander Brandon Bielak, who was scratched from his start at the Triple-A level today.
More from around MLB’s West divisions:
- The Rockies may welcome back second baseman Brendan Rodgers from surgery before the 2023 campaign comes to an end. Rodgers suffered a torn labrum during spring training that ultimately required surgery, but the 26-year-old infielder has begun to work his way back to the field, per Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post. Rodgers took live batting practice for the first time today, ran the bases and took infield practice. Rodgers will report to Arizona for extended spring training after the All Star break, and manager Bud Black indicated to reporters (including Saunders) that Rodgers could return to the Rockies in August or September. That’s fantastic news for the Rockies, who have relied primarily on Harold Castro and Coco Montes at the keystone in Rodgers’ absence.
- The Padres will be without right-hander Yu Darvish tomorrow, as the veteran hurler was scratched from his start due to a bout of the flu. Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune adds that, per manager Bob Melvin, he may not be able to pitch Monday either. Who will start in Darvish’s stead tomorrow is currently unclear, though the club did recall right-hander Pedro Avila earlier today. Avila has made 13 starts at the Triple-A level this season, posting an 8.49 ERA in 46 2/3 innings of work.
Astros Open To Trading Outfielder
The upcoming trade deadline seems slated to be different than those of the past. Due to the expanded playoffs and weak Central divisions, there’s a small number of teams that are truly out of contention and in traditional seller position. That could lead to more trades with contenders on both ends and the Astros are exploring that possibility, looking to move an outfielder to help out elsewhere, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
“We’re exploring trading major-league player for major-league player with teams that are contending that make sense,” general manager Dana Brown tells Rosenthal. “We have a lot of outfielders right now. If we could move an outfield piece for something that could fill another need, we probably would be interested in doing that. Player for player? Yeah. We have to get creative to open up the market. We’re definitely exploring that.”
The 2023 Astros aren’t quite as dominant as in previous seasons but they are still firmly in the postseason chase. Their 44-37 record has them just half a game behind the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot and Brown is adamant that they won’t be stripping the roster down to the studs. “I can’t see any scenario where we sell,” he says.
However, it does seem as though the club is willing to consider subtracting one of its outfielders in order to address other needs. Brown has been fairly open in recent weeks about how the club would ideally like to add a versatile left-handed bat or perhaps some pitching help. Traditionally, they might have been able to achieve those goals by dealing prospects. But since their theoretical trading partners could be contenders this year, the Astros may have to move a big leaguer.
With Michael Brantley and Yordan Alvarez on the injured list, the club has been using an outfield mix of Kyle Tucker, Chas McCormick, Jake Meyers and Corey Julks. With Brantley and Alvarez working their way back to health, it’s possible that someone in that group gets squeezed off the roster and onto the trade block.
Tucker is one of the best players in the league and wouldn’t be going anywhere, especially because he’s the only left-handed hitter in the regular lineup. Since Brown has been quite open about how the club would love to get more left-handed, it would make more sense to consider moving one of the other three, who are each right-handed.
McCormick, 28, debuted with the club in 2021 and has appeared in 270 major league games so far. He’s struck out 28.5% of his plate appearances but also walked at a 9.6% rate and hit 35 home runs. His .249/.327/.428 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 112, indicating he’s been 12% above league average. He’s also stolen 15 bases and received positive grades for his glovework. He’s accrued 14 Defensive Runs Saved in his career, 21 Outs Above Average and a 7.2 mark from Ultimate Zone Rating. He’s played all three outfield spots but most of his work has been in center.
Competent center fielders are always in demand and McCormick’s above-average offense would only enhance his appeal. He’s also cheap, coming into this season with exactly two years of service time. He will get to the three-year mark at season’s end and have three years of arbitration control beyond this campaign. Rosenthal reports that the Yankees had previous interest in him but never got close to a deal.
Meyers, 27, also debuted in 2021 but hasn’t been able to hit at McCormick’s level. Meyers has a 29.8% strikeout rate and 7.2% walk rate, with his .237/.305/.380 batting line amounting to a wRC+ of just 92. But like McCormick, his outfield defense is graded well, primarily in center field. Overall, he’s racked up 12 DRS, 18 OAA and a 6.4 UZR. He’ll finish this year with less than three years of service time, giving him an extra year before he reaches arbitration and three more seasons of control beyond that.
Julks, 27, just debuted this year, cracking the Opening Day roster. He’s hit .265/.307/.398 through his first 225 plate appearances for a wRC+ of 95. He’s only played the corners but has been considered slightly above average there. He’s also stolen 12 bases already this year. Since he just debuted, he isn’t slated for arbitration until after 2025 or free agency until after 2028.
These players will each have varying degrees of interest depending on which club the Astros are talking to. Lining up a trade of this nature may be challenging because it will require the other team to have an outfield need but also an ability to part with something else that Houston wants. That might be a tricky tightrope to walk but it seems as though just about every contending club might have to give it a try this year.
Dana Brown Discusses Astros’ Deadline Priorities
The Astros are among a number of teams in the thick of a tightly-contested American League playoff picture. Six games back of the Rangers in the division but jockeying for position in the Wild Card race, the defending World Series champions enter deadline season looking to add to the roster.
General manager Dana Brown has already expressed a desire to add a left-handed bat, preferably one who can play multiple positions. In an appearance on the Sean Salisbury Show on 790 AM this morning, Brown reiterated that adding to the offense is the priority. He said that while the front office is “always open to acquiring an arm,” the club is “focused right now on a bat.”
It doesn’t seem anything is imminent. Brown suggested the trade market has yet to really heat up, in large part because of the number of clubs that have yet to pick a direction. With the 12-team playoff format and only a few organizations at the nadir of a rebuild, most front offices can still see a path to contention. The Nationals, Rockies, Royals and A’s are the only teams that are double-digit games out of a playoff spot.
Brown expressed a general openness to being aggressive in the pursuit of short-term help. Asked if there were any prospects the front office deemed “untouchable,” the GM said they were willing to consider moving anyone. Brown did specifically say the Astros wouldn’t deal Drew Gilbert — last year’s first-round pick and arguably the top prospect in a middling farm system — for any impending free agents. He left open the possibility of moving Gilbert for an MLB player with multiple seasons of club control, however.
That’s not to say the Astros are likely to move Gilbert so much as an acknowledgement the front office will consider various ways to push for a seventh consecutive playoff appearance. Houston’s offense has been surprisingly pedestrian, entering play Wednesday tied for 14th in MLB in run-scoring. Yordan Alvarez has been down for a couple weeks with an oblique strain and seems unlikely to return before the All-Star Break. Michael Brantley still hasn’t played as he works back from last summer’s shoulder surgery.
Those injuries have pushed Yainer Diaz and Corey Julks into regular playing time in the left field/designated hitter mix. Diaz has hit seven home runs in 139 plate appearances but has only walked three times. Julks has a .257/.297/.393 line in 60 games. José Abreu has had a disastrous initial season in Houston at first base, although he has hit a homer in two of his last three games as he looks to find his form.
Brown has generally seemed more comfortable with the club’s rotation outlook even as he’s acknowledged an overarching need around the league for pitching depth. Houston has had to lean on J.P. France and Ronel Blanco after losing Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia for the season and José Urquidy for a couple months.
The GM acknowledged to Salisbury that any other starting pitching injury would spur more urgency to look outside the organization. Houston’s top three of Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier and Hunter Brown has been excellent. France has done a decent job preventing runs despite a middling strikeout rate. Blanco has a 4.70 ERA with 11 walks over four starts. Getting Urquidy back from shoulder discomfort not long after the Break would go a long way towards stabilizing the staff.
West Notes: Campusano, San Jose, Urquidy, Moore
Padres catcher Luis Campusano is making notable progress in his rehab from a sprained left thumb. As Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune notes, Campusano hit on the field prior to today’s game against the Nationals before catching a bullpen session for right-hander Yu Darvish. As noted by MLB.com, manager Bob Melvin considered today’s steps forward “significant” as Campusano continues his rehab process, but the club has not yet set a timeline for the catcher to begin a rehab assignment.
Campusano appeared in just seven games this season prior to going on the injured list, leaving much of the catching duties to Austin Nola, who’s struggled to a brutal .144/.263/.195 slash line this season. More recently, the Padres have learned on in-season addition Gary Sanchez behind the plate. In 80 plate appearances since arriving in San Diego, Sanchez has slashed .206/.275/.521 with a wRC+ of 114 while grading out as a roughly average defensive catcher. Still, Campusano’s eventual return figures to give the Padres insurance if Sanchez’s production takes a turn for the worse and an alternative to Nola as the second catcher on the roster.
More from around MLB’s western divisions…
- As reported by John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose mayor Matt Mahan and four previous mayors of the city have issued a letter to commissioner Rob Manfred pleading the city’s case for an MLB expansion or relocation team. In the letter, the mayors argue that San Jose presents a unique opportunity for MLB considering its population, annual GDP, and its relationship with major tech companies. As Shea notes, the Giants currently have territorial rights over San Jose following an agreement between San Francisco and Oakland in 1990. That agreement was a major factor in the failure of a bid by the Athletics to move to San Jose back in 2013. While the idea of San Jose as a potential expansion team location farfetched considering MLB’s decision to support the Giants in their dispute with the A’s over territorial rights a decade ago, the situation is nonetheless worth noting as groups around the country such as those in Nashville and Salt Lake City prepare for the possibility of expansion in the coming decade.
- Astros right-hander Jose Urquidy threw a bullpen session today and told reporters, including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, that he was sitting 88-89 with his fastball, down from his typical velocity of 93-94. That’s not much of a cause for concern at the moment, however, considering how early it is in Urquidy’s rehab from shoulder woes that have kept him on the injured list since the beginning of May. Urquidy, who has long been expected to return sometime in July, told reporters that the current plan is for him to throw two more bullpen sessions before advancing to facing live hitters. It seems reasonable to expect a rehab assignment to be in the near future for Urquidy once he begins facing live batters, assuming everything goes well up to that point.
- Angels lefty Matt Moore is making progress in his rehab from an oblique injury that has left his sidelined for nearly a month, though he told reporters, including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger, that today’s bullpen didn’t go well enough for him to be activated from the injured list on Monday. While how Moore feels tomorrow will decide a lot of the process, the Halos reliever indicated that he expects to throw at least one more bullpen before he’s activated from the IL. Moore has been stellar for the Angels this season when healthy, with a 1.44 ERA in 25 innings, though the club has managed to maintain a solid bullpen in his absence thanks to the efforts of players like Carlos Estevez, Jaime Barria, and Chris Devenski.
Astros Sign Jon Singleton To Minors Contract
The Astros have signed first baseman Jon Singleton to a minor league deal, The Athletic’s Chandler Rome reports (Twitter link). Singleton elected to become a free agent earlier this week rather than accept an outright assignment to the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate.
There’s plenty of familiarity between Singleton and his new/old team, since the first baseman has spent much of his career in the Houston organization. Singleton was a highly-regarded prospect in his days in the Astros’ farm system, to the point that the Astros locked him up to a five-year extension worth $10MM in guaranteed money before Singleton had even made his Major League debut. At the time, it was a record-setting contract for a non-international player who didn’t have any MLB service time.
However, Houston’s early investment didn’t pay off, as Singleton hit only .171/.290/.331 over 420 plate appearances during the 2014-15 seasons. His longstanding battle with marijuana addiction led to three different drug-related suspensions, leading to the Astros’ decision to finally release him in May 2018. After a few years away from baseball entirely, Singleton returned in the Mexican League in 2021, then landed a minor league contract with the Brewers during the 2021-22 offseason.
After a couple of other releases and re-signings with Milwaukee on new minor league deals, Singleton finally made it back to the majors earlier this month when the Brewers selected his contract. It wasn’t a long or particularly productive (11 games and a .325 OPS over 32 PA) stint for Singleton before the Brewers designated him for assignment, leading to Singleton’s decision to reject the outright assignment and test the open market again.
There has obviously been a lot of overhaul within Houston’s front office since Singleton’s past tenure with the club, yet beyond just any longstanding connections, Singleton is an interesting depth addition purely for baseball reasons. The Astros’ lineup is heavy with right-handed batters, so Singleton’s lefty bat can possibly provide some balance. In addition, Jose Abreu is unexpectedly struggling through a very tough season, leaving the Astros thin at first base. While Singleton hasn’t been productive at the MLB level, his presence at least gives Houston a potential alternative if it wants to reduce Abreu’s playing time down to a platoon scenario.
If Singleton gets a look and doesn’t pan out, the Astros could then explore adding a more proven first-base capable player at the trade deadline. GM Dana Brown has spoken about how the team would like to add a left-handed hitting multi-positional player, though Singleton doesn’t fit the mold as a first base-only type.
Astros Acquire Spenser Watkins From Orioles
The Astros announced this afternoon they’ve acquired righty Spenser Watkins from the Orioles and optioned him to Triple-A Sugar Land. Baltimore receives cash in return. Houston also selected outfielder Bligh Madris onto the big league roster, as previously reported. In order to create 40-man roster space, they transferred Michael Brantley and José Urquidy to the 60-day injured list.
Watkins has had a tough year in Triple-A. He’s started six of eight games and worked to a 7.27 ERA through 26 innings. The former 30th-round pick has a modest 15.7% strikeout percentage and has walked a lofty 13.4% of opponents. Watkins has kept the ball on the ground at a massive 55.3% clip, but the strikeout and walk numbers and overall ERA pushed him off Baltimore’s 40-man roster on Tuesday.
The Astros will take a change of scenery flier to add some experienced rotation depth to the upper minors. Injuries to Lance McCullers Jr., Luis Garcia and Urquidy have pushed depth arms J.P. France and Ronel Blanco into the rotation. Brandon Bielak and Bryan Garcia are the most experienced Triple-A starters, so Watkins is a sensible acquisition.
Now 30, Watkins has appeared in two big league seasons with the O’s. He’s made 30 starts in 39 outings, posting a 5.85 ERA across 160 frames. Watkins hasn’t missed many bats, but he’d walked just under 7% of opponents at the MLB level. He had a quality 6.1% walk percentage in Triple-A last season.
His control has been erratic this season, but his broader track record is that of a strike-throwing depth arm. This is Watkins’ final minor league option year; the Astros can keep him in Triple-A for the rest of the season but would have to carry him on next year’s Opening Day roster if he holds his 40-man spot until then.
Brantley’s and Urquidy’s IL moves are procedural transactions. Brantley has already been on the IL for well past 60 days as he works back from last summer’s shoulder surgery. Urquidy landed on the shelf on May 1 with discomfort in his throwing shoulder. He’s not expected to return until next month.
Robert Murray of FanSided first reported the Astros’ acquisition of Watkins.
Astros To Select Bligh Madris
The Astros are going to select the contract of outfielder Bligh Madris, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic (Twitter links). Madris will take the active roster spot of catcher César Salazar, who has been optioned to Triple-A. Madris isn’t currently on the 40-man roster so a corresponding move will be required, but the club is off today so that may not come until tomorrow.
Madris, 27, came to the Astros from the Tigers via a cash deal this offseason. He didn’t make the club out of Spring Training and was designated for assignment, clearing waivers shortly thereafter. He’s been in Triple-A for all of this year so far, getting 281 plate appearances in 60 games. He’s struck out in 25.3% of those but walked at a 15.3% clip and hit 10 home runs. His .249/.363/.446 batting line looks strong at first glance but actually amounts to a wRC+ of 93 in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. But he’s also stolen 10 bases while playing first base and the outfield corners.
The fact that Madris can play first base could be why he’s getting the call today. The Astros have gotten dismal production from the position this year thanks to the immense struggles of José Abreu. Signed to a three-year, $58.5MM deal in the offseason, the veteran is hitting just .225/.279/.308 so far this year. That production is 37% worse than the league average hitter, as evidenced by his wRC+ of 63. That’s the lowest figure among all qualified hitters in the league this year.
Needless to say, the Astros were hoping for much more when they gave Abreu that hefty contract, but now they are scrambling for backup plans. Yesterday, Abreu got a day off while utility player Mauricio Dubón was put at the cold corner for the first time in his professional career. Perhaps the recall of Madris will lead to him getting a chance to get some playing time at the position instead. The fact that he’s a left-handed hitter could also give a bit more balance to a roster where Kyle Tucker is currently the only player who hits lefty.
Prior to joining the Astros, Madris made his major league debut with the Pirates last year but hit just .177/.244/.265. He got squeezed off Pittsburgh’s roster in September but continued to get interest from other clubs around the league. He was claimed off waivers by the Rays and Tigers before coming to Houston in the aforementioned cash deal.
As for the 40-man move, that should be too challenging for the Astros. Michael Brantley has already been on the injured list all year, so he can be transferred to the 60-day IL and still be eligible to be reinstated whenever he’s ready.
Astros Promote Shawn Dubin, Option Brandon Bielak
The Astros announced a pair of roster moves earlier today, recalling right-hander Shawn Dubin from Triple-A while optioning fellow righty Brandon Bielak to Triple-A. As noted by the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara, Dubin told reporters that he was joining the club as a reliever.
That comes as little surprise, considering comments from manager Dusty Baker in recent weeks indicating the club didn’t consider a six-man rotation sustainable given the hits the club has taken to its starting depth. This move appears to leave Bielak as the odd man out as Houston reverts to a five-man rotation. While Bielak had pitched to a roughly league average 4.37 ERA in 47 1/3 innings since his call-up to the big leagues at the beginning of May, the move comes as little surprise considering Bielak’s significant struggles since the calendar flipped to June.
Since the beginning of the month Bielak has been shelled for 13 runs (12 earned) in just 16 1/3 innings, leaving him with a 6.61 ERA and a whopping 1.107 OPS against over his past three starts. Struggles with command seem to be the root of Bielak’s troubles, as he’s allowed six walks, four home runs, and hit a batter over that timeframe while recording just nine strikeouts.
Bielak’s woes coincide with what has proved to be a difficult stretch for the Astros. Houston has posted a 4-9 record over the last thirteen games, leaving the club with a 39-33 record that places them third in the AL West, 5.5 games behind the Rangers for the division lead. As the club attempts to right the ship, they’ll trot out a starting five of Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Hunter Brown, J.P. France, and Ronel Blanco.
Valdez, Javier, and Brown, of course, starting the season in the club’s rotation and have formed the backbone of a starting staff that ranks 2nd in the majors with a 3.30 ERA in spite of injuries to Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr. and Jose Urquidy. France has played a major role in the rotation maintaining that solid performance, with a 3.42 ERA in 47 1/3 innings for the big league club since making his MLB debut earlier this season.
Blanco is perhaps even more surprising, as the 29-year-old entered the rotation at the beginning of June after struggling badly in his major league debut last season (7.11 ERA in seven appearances) and posting middling numbers as a member of the Houston bullpen earlier this year, with a 4.50 ERA in 12 innings. Since returning to the big leagues as a starter, though, Blanco has recorded two solid outings against solid offenses in Toronto and Anaheim, posting a 3.18 ERA in 11 1/3 innings of work. While Blanco’s 13% walk rate leaves reason for concern going forward, the Astros clearly feel secure enough with his performance to hand him the keys to a rotation spot over Bielak.
Replacing Bielak on the active roster is Dubin, whose first appearance with the big league club will constitute his big league debut. It’s been a long path to the majors for Dubin, who arrived in the Astros organization after they selected him in the 13th round of the 2018 draft. While he managed to post solid numbers in the minors from 2019 to 2021, Dubin has struggled in more recent seasons, with his 4.78 ERA in 58 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level in 2022 ballooning to a figure of 7.96 in 26 innings while repeating the level this season.
Despite those worrisome results, Dubin figures to be an asset to the club’s bullpen while he’s on the roster thanks to his ability to pitch multiple innings. Of his nine appearances at Triple-A this season, Dubin has recorded at least six outs in seven of them. He’ll likely provide long relief for a bullpen that has recently relief on Seth Martinez for multi-inning outings.