Facing a crunch with several players set to come off the 60-day injured list and be added to the 40-man roster, the Astros cut ties with five players on Monday. The list included veteran starting pitcher José Urquidy, who was outrighted and became a free agent. Urquidy has three World Series wins under his belt for Houston, but he couldn't stay healthy in recent years and underwent a second Tommy John surgery on June 5. The Astros cleared four additional spots by outrighting right-hander Oliver Ortego, who was injured all last season. Right-handers Seth Martinez (D-backs) and Penn Murfee (White Sox) and outfielder Trey Cabbage (Pirates) were claimed off waivers. Like Ortega, the injured Murfee never appeared in a game for Houston. Meanwhile, right-handers J.P. France, Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. and left-hander Bennett Sousa were activated from the 60-day IL. And the club filled out its 40-man roster by acquiring outfielder Taylor Trammell from the Yankees in exchange for cash. The Astros could clear more 40-man spots ahead of the Nov. 19 deadline to protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft. "Roster moves are always difficult," Astros general manager Dana Brown said. "You have to do them because you have to continue to think about the future of the club. They're always difficult to make, particularly when you've had guys around for a long time [like Urquidy and Martinez]. It makes it more difficult." Brown arrived in San Antonio on Monday for the annual General Managers Meetings, which serves as a primer for next month's Winter Meetings in Dallas. "First of all, the big thing is getting in front of some of the agents and having some good conversations and also talking to some of the other clubs," Brown said. "Of course, the main goal is to see what we can do this offseason to improve the roster to get back to the postseason. That's the whole purpose." |
Brown said Monday he's had multiple conversations with Scott Boras, the agent for Alex Bregman, about the free-agent third baseman returning to the Astros. "We're optimistic that we'll get something done, and I'm sure Bregman likes playing here," Brown said. "We love having him. We just going to continue to have conversations." |
Trammell, 27, split his 2024 season between the Dodgers' and Yankees' organizations -- the two teams that made the World Series. He played in five games for each team, but spent the majority of his season at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees' system. He played in 106 games, hitting .256 with 20 doubles, 18 homers, 63 RBIs, a .381 OBP and an .869 OPS. "This is an opportunity to add a left-handed bat with some power," Brown said. "He's a former first-round pick and was a pretty good prospect at one point. He's trending in the right direction. Hopefully, he's going to turn the corner here." Trammell has a .633 OPS in 126 career Major League games for the Mariners (2021-23), Dodgers and Yankees. He was selected by the Reds with the 35th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft. |
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
Four Astros are finalists for the Silver Slugger Award, which is given to the top offensive player at each position in the American and National Leagues. Second baseman Jose Altuve, designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, catcher Yainer Diaz and Bregman are finalists; the winners will be announced at 6 p.m. CT on Nov. 12. Altuve's six career Silver Sluggers are the most in Astros history and most all time among AL second basemen. He needs one more to match Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg for the most at second base in AL/NL history. Altuve batted .295 with 94 runs scored, 31 doubles, 20 home runs, 65 RBIs, 22 stolen bases and a .789 OPS in 153 games last season. Alvarez is looking to win his second career Silver Slugger (2022). In 147 games last season, he batted .308 with 88 runs scored, 34 doubles, 35 home runs, 86 RBIs and a .959 OPS. He led AL designated hitters in doubles, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage, and ranked second in homers and RBIs. Bregman is seeking his second career Silver Slugger (2019). He batted .260 with 30 doubles, 26 home runs, 75 RBIs and a .768 OPS in 145 games. Diaz is a first-time finalist. In 148 games last season, he batted .299 with 70 runs scored, 29 doubles, three triples, 16 home runs, 84 RBIs and a .766 OPS. He ranked first among AL catchers in batting average, hits and triples. |
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• Bregman won his first career Gold Glove on Sunday as the top defensive third baseman in the AL in 2024. He joins five-time winner Doug Rader (1970-74 in the National League) as the only Astros third basemen to win a Gold Glove. Houston's Mauricio Dubón, a Gold Glove winner last season at the utility position, and center fielder Jake Meyers were also finalists. • Bregman was one of 13 players to receive a qualifying offer on Monday. A qualifying offer is a one-year offer calculated by averaging the 125 highest salaries in MLB. Players who accept are signed to a one-year deal for the next season at the designated value (set at $21.05 million for 2025). Those who don't accept their offer by the Nov. 19 deadline remain free agents, and if a new team signs them, their old team receives Draft pick compensation for 2025. • A trio of Rangers pitching prospects worked with Astros catching prospect Collin Price to carry a no-hitter into the eighth inning for the Surprise Saguaros on Friday night in the Arizona Fall League. Price was a sixth-round Draft pick in 2022 out of Mercer. |
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