AJ Blubaugh was optioned to Triple-A and left-hander John Rooney was called up to the Astros' roster as a fresh bullpen option. Rooney, 28, was a third-round pick of the Dodgers in 2018 and spent his pro career in Los Angeles' farm system until joining the Marlins in 2025 as a minor-league free agent. Miami traded Rooney to Houston earlier this month. He has a 2.56 ERA and a 34.2% strikeout rate across 38 2/3 Triple-A innings for the Marlins and Astros affiliates, but a 14.9% walk rate has persisted. The Astros lost several left-handers to injury, creating an opening for Rooney to earn an extended look if he performs against MLB hitters.
Rooney is on the mound at the time of this post, and thus the 28-year-old is now officially a Major League player. A third-round pick for the Dodgers back in the 2018 draft, Rooney spent his whole pro career in the Los Angeles farm system until 2025, when he joined the Marlins as a minor league free agent. Miami then dealt Rooney to Houston earlier this month, and he has a 2.56 ERA and a 34.2% strikeout rate over 38 2/3 combined innings with the Marlins' and Astros' Triple-A affiliates.
Those impressive numbers came with the downside of a 14.9% walk rate. Rooney has been prone to issuing free passes for most of his career, and a move to full-time bullpen work in 2023 only briefly solved his control issues. It remains to be seen if Rooney will get anything more than a cup of coffee in the Show, as the Astros have Steven Okert and as the primary left-handers in their bullpen.
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