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Astros Release Omar Narvaez

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The Astros released catcher Omar Narvaez from his minor league contract, KPRC2’s Ari Alexander reports.  Narvaez spent a little under two months with Triple-A Sugar Land, and he hit .258/.402/.333 over 117 plate appearances with the Astros’ top affiliate.

Houston carried Yainer Diaz, Victor Caratini, and Cesar Salazar on the 26-man roster for about two and a half months, and Narvaez was added to the organization during this period.  Salazar was optioned back to Triple-A after the All-Star break, however, and with some depth added back to the minor league ranks, Narvaez may have become expendable in the Astros’ view.

Narvaez has appeared in each of the last 10 Major League seasons, and his 2025 resume consists of four games with the White Sox earlier this season before he was released in May.  A very solid hitter during his prime years, Narvaez has managed only a .201/.278/.286 slash line in 521 big league plate appearances since the start of the 2022 season, and he has been limited to minor league deal since the Mets released him from his two-year, $15MM contract partway through the 2024 campaign.

As an experienced backstop with a respected reputation as a defender, Narvaez figures to land somewhere on a team in need of catching depth.  There was no mention of an opt-out clause in Narvaez’s deal, but it could be that if there was no clear path to Narveaz to make the Astros’ roster (barring multiple injuries), the two sides agreed to part ways so the catcher could look to land a job elsewhere.

White Sox Release Noah Syndergaard, Penn Murfee

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The White Sox have released right-handers Noah Syndergaard and Penn Murfee.  Syndergaard’s release was announced today, while Murfee’s MLB.com profile page indicates he was let go on Friday.

Syndergaard signed a minor league deal with Chicago in late June, which marked his first contract with any team since he was released by the Guardians in August 2023.  Despite some interest from teams during the 2023-24 offseason, Syndergaard ended up not pitching anywhere in 2024, so the Sox started him off with some rookie ball outings just to get acclimated back to game action before reporting to Triple-A Charlotte.  Syndergaard had a 2.93 ERA over his 15 1/3 frames of Rookie League work, but then was hit hard for a 10.13 ERA over two outings and eight innings at the Triple-A level.  The ugly numbers in Charlotte included only two strikeouts, and a rather incredible five homers allowed.

While eight innings is obviously a small sample size, it was enough for the White Sox to decide to move on from Syndergaard, putting the former All-Star at yet another career crossroads.  Syndergaard turns 33 later this month, and it is fair to wonder if retirement could be a possibility.  Despite his past pedigree, the amount of time it took for him to land even a minor league contract could indicate that evaluators simply doubt he can ever regain any of his past effectiveness.

A frontline member of the Mets’ pitching staff during his prime years, Syndergaard has never really recovered from a Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for virtually all of the 2020-21 seasons.  He pitched decently well in posting a 3.94 ERA over 134 2/3 innings for the Angels and Phillies in 2022, but rather than approach his old form or at least settle in at a mid-rotation arm, Syndergaard regressed in the form of a 6.50 ERA in 88 2/3 frames with the Dodgers and Guardians in 2023.

Murfee is another pitcher whose career was interrupted by a major arm injury.  After posting a 2.70 ERA for the Mariners in his first 83 1/3 career big league innings, he underwent UCL surgery in June 2023, and some elbow discomfort kept him from making his return late in the 2024 season as a member of the Astros.

The White Sox claimed Murfee off waivers from Houston last November, marking the fourth time in a 13-month that the right-hander had changed teams on the waiver wire.  Murfee made his return to the Show in the form of 12 2/3 innings of 7.82 ball for the White Sox earlier this season.  Chicago outrighted the hurler to Triple-A in early May, and while Murfee had a respectable 4.09 ERA over 22 innings for Charlotte, he has recorded more walks (18) than strikeouts (16).

Outright Assignments: 8/3/25

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Here’s the latest on a few players recently designated for assignment, and now removed from their clubs’ 40-man rosters…

  • The Yankees announced that outfielder Bryan De La Cruz has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A.  Because De La Cruz has more than three years of Major League service time, he has the right to elect free agency rather than accept the outright assignment, so it remains to be seen if he’ll remain in the organization.  A regular with the Marlins from 2022-24, De La Cruz has struggled badly since a deadline trade to the Pirates last year, and his only MLB work in 2025 came in the form of 16 games with the Braves.  New York claimed De La Cruz off waivers from Atlanta in May and the outfielder has hit .251/.323/.438 over 229 plate appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
  • The Mariners outrighted Collin Snider to Triple-A after the right-hander cleared waivers.  This is the first time Snider has been outrighted, and since he also doesn’t have the required amount of MLB service time, he’ll have to report to Triple-A rather than consider electing free agency.  An underrated bullpen arm for the Mariners in 2024, Snider struggled to a 5.47 ERA in 26 1/3 innings this year and hasn’t pitched since a right forearm flexor strain sent him to the injured list two months ago.  Snider had begun a minor league rehab assignment but he is out of minor league options, so the Mariners had to pursue the DFA/outright route rather than activate Snider directly back onto the 26-man roster.
  • The Phillies announced that right-handers Brett de Geus and Devin Sweet both cleared waivers and have been outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.  The two pitchers were each designated on deadline day to create roster space for new acquisitions Harrison Bader and Matt Manning.  De Geus made a single appearance with Philadelphia this season, and he has now tossed 63 1/3 innings over 61 career games at the big league level, posting a 7.39 ERA across his three seasons.  Sweet has a 10.38 ERA over 8 2/3 career innings with the Mariners and A’s, all during the 2023 season.  Both pitchers have previous outrights on their resume, so they can each elect free agency rather than accept the assignment to Triple-A.

Orioles Claim Vidal Brujan, Carson Ragsdale

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

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

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

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

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

White Sox Claim Bryan Hudson, Elvis Peguero

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

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

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

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

Nationals Claim PJ Poulin

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

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

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

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

Rockies Claim Blaine Crim

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

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

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

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

Yankees Activate Luis Gil From 60-Day Injured List

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

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

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

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

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

Orioles Designate Terrin Vavra For Assignment

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

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

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

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

Astros Acquire John Rooney From Marlins

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

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

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

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

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

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