#astros

#astros

The Astros have placed Rule 5 pick Roddery Muñoz on outright waivers. Players can be placed on waivers while remaining on the 40-man roster but it seems likely that the Astros plan to cut the right-hander.

The Angels defeated the Astros 3-0 yesterday, with Jose Soriano getting the win (6.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 7 K) and Mike Trout leading the way offensively (going 1 for 4 with a home run and an RBI).

It's looking increasingly likely that the deal that sent Christian Vazquez to the Houston Astros for Wilyer Abreu will be remembered not only as Chaim Bloom's best trade during his tenure at the helm of the Red Sox, but as one of the best trade's in recent baseball memory. Abreu has already won two Gold Gloves and isn't that far off from making the all-star team.

The Astros have seemingly had too many infielders all winter but general manager Dana Brown has consistently downplayed the possibility of a trade, doing so again this week. Privately, the club may be less certain about holding everyone. Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports that some people within the team are questioning the viability of carrying everyone on the roster and that a trade is becoming more realistic.

Manager Joe Espada said at Imai's press conference that the club is likely to lean on a six-man rotation frequently throughout the season (link via Chandler Rome of The Athletic). That could be the case from day one, as the skipper indicated they may begin the year with an extra starter. Espada pointed to the team's heavy early-season workload. The Astros only have two off days between Opening Day on March 26 and April 22.

As Brown put it, " it's not easy to part ways with successful pieces that you have that are high-end prospects. But when there are a lot of teams that need starters, that's where the market is. A lot of teams need starters, and so you don't want to lose out. So you have to get creative and pull from your depth and maybe fill that spot."

The last notable deal between the two was clearly won by the Astros. The Dodgers acquired reliever Josh Fields for an unheralded outfielder named Yordan Alvarez. Since then, Alvarez has made three All-Star appearances and is one of the better slugging outfielders in the sport. Fields pitched decently in parts of three seasons, though he was clearly nowhere near as impactful as Alvarez.

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don't use Spotify or Apple for podcasts. This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss... Plus, we answer your questions, including...

Bowman, 34, made his big league debut in 2016 and spent four seasons with the Cardinals and Reds, posting a 4.02 ERA and 3.67 FIP in 183 games at the big league level before injuries sidelined him for several years. He returned to the majors in 2023 for a three-game stint as a member of the Yankees, and in 2024 he bounced between four clubs before finally settling in as a member of the Orioles in August of last year.

Alvarez is set to begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, with plans to assess his readiness for activation by August 26.

Omar Narvaez was released from his minor league contract with the Astros after spending under two months at Triple-A Sugar Land, where he hit .258/.402/.333.