News Astros Team Notes

Astros Place Lance McCullers Jr. On Injured List

The Astros placed Lance McCullers Jr. back on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to July 20. The veteran righty is now dealing with a blister. Reliever Nick Hernandez is up from Triple-A Sugar Land to take the vacated active roster spot.

This is the third IL stint of the season for McCullers. He began the season on the shelf after multiple years of battling elbow and forearm issues. He was knocked back out in June for a couple weeks with a sprained right foot. A blister shouldn’t be a major concern, but it’ll cost him at least another couple weeks.

It’s the latest speed bump in a brutal first season back for McCullers. He has an earned run average approaching 7.00 across 11 starts. He has a league average 23.1% strikeout percentage while walking a career-worst 13% of batters faced. While McCullers had huge ground-ball numbers before the series of injuries, that’s down to a middling 42.3% clip. The 91.5 MPH average velocity on his sinker is well down from the 93-94 MPH range at which he sat in 2022. Each of Cristian Javier, Spencer Arrighetti and Luis Garcia are on minor league rehab assignments. It’s tough to envision McCullers holding his rotation spot much longer even if he returns from the blister after a minimal stint.

Manager Joe Espada also provided a concerning update on third baseman Isaac Paredes, who went on the 10-day IL over the weekend with a right hamstring strain. Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle) that it’s a “pretty significant” strain that will sideline Paredes for an extended stretch. Mauricio Dubón is getting most of the third base playing time, keeping Brice Matthews, Zack Short and Taylor Trammell in the everyday lineup.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-place-lance-mccullers-jr-on-injured-list.html
 
Isaac Paredes Has “Pretty Significant” Injury; Astros Could Pursue Additional Bat

Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes went on the injured list with a strained hamstring over the weekend, and manager Joe Espada last night suggested that the 26-year-old slugger won’t be back anytime soon. Espada called Paredes’ hamstring issue “pretty serious” and added that while the team is still awaiting further testing results before an official diagnosis and recovery timetable is provided, the injury is “definitely something that’s going to keep him out for a while” (link via Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle). Espada could not definitively say whether Paredes would return this season.

It’s yet another brutal injury blow to an Astros club that has somehow weathered an avalanche of health troubles to sit atop the AL West. Houston has only gotten 29 games out of Yordan Alvarez this year due to an ongoing hand injury that was originally diagnosed as inflammation before the team eventually revealed he’s dealing with a small fracture. Jeremy Peña’s breakout season was interrupted by a broken rib in late June. He’s missed nearly a month. Outfielders Jake Meyers, Chas McCormick and Jacob Melton have spent time on the injured list; Meyers and Melton are there presently.

The pitching side of the coin has been even worse. Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski both required Tommy John surgery by early June. Spencer Arrighetti hasn’t pitched since early April after suffering a fluke injury when he was playing catch in the outfield during batting practice and was struck by a batted ball. Luis Garcia’s rehab from 2023 Tommy John surgery is now up to well over two years in the making after some early-season setbacks.

Houston has persevered through it all, improbably sitting 17 games over .500 thanks in no small part to dominant pitching performances from Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez, Josh Hader, Bryan Abreu and several unexpected contributors (e.g. Bennett Sousa, Steven Okert, Shawn Dubin, Ryan Gusto, Brandon Walter, Colton Gordon). They’ve also enjoyed career-best performances at the plate from Meyers, Mauricio Dubon and catcher Victor Caratini.

Paredes has been a huge part of the team’s success, however, playing in 94 of 101 games and batting .259/.359/.470 with a team-leading 19 home runs. He hasn’t singlehandedly replaced Kyle Tucker’s bat in the lineup, but Paredes and Cam Smith — both acquired in the Tucker return — have provided above-average offense throughout the season.

With Paredes sidelined indefinitely, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports that the Astros are now likelier to target an additional bat than they were prior to the injury. Houston had been looking around for a left-handed bat who could help at second base, but GM Dana Brown’s primary focus had been on improving his strained pitching depth.

It creates a fascinating dynamic for the Astros. Over the winter, it was clear that owner Jim Crane was only interested in exceeding the luxury tax threshold for what would be a second straight season in very specific cases (namely, if it meant re-signing Alex Bregman at their price — not his). Trades of Tucker and Ryan Pressly helped keep the team’s CBT number under the $241MM first-tier threshold even as they brought in free agent Christian Walker on a three-year contract. The April trade of Rafael Montero to the Braves — in which they surprisingly found a taker for a portion of his underwater contract — spared the Astros just under $3MM of his salary and created a bit more breathing room. That could wind up being pivotal if Crane remains intent on avoiding the luxury tax.

RosterResource projects the Astros for about $235.5MM worth of CBT considerations — just $5.5MM shy of the threshold. Cot’s Contracts is a bit more bearish at $238.9MM. Both of those are estimates, as the exact calculations of CBT spending are not all publicly available. But they still paint a generally similar picture: the Astros have minimal wiggle room with which to operate if keeping that number under $241MM is still a priority.

The Astros could always convince a trade partner to pay down some of a new acquisition’s salary, but doing so would require paying an increased price in terms of prospects. Houston’s farm system is not well-regarded, though their player development staff continues to churn out players (particularly pitchers) who exceed industry expectations. If the team needs to stay under the $241MM level, finding pre-arbitration players would be one path to explore, though the prices on those players will be notable.

The Mets are open to dealing from their infield depth (including lefty-swinging third baseman/second baseman Brett Baty), presenting one possible path. Tampa Bay speedster Jose Caballero is a below-average hitter who bats from the right side of the dish but is a plus defender with 32 stolen bases already. He’s reportedly drawn trade interest. Houston could also look to buy low on a former top prospect like Minnesota’s Edouard Julien or the Cardinals’ Nolan Gorman. Julien is hitting well in Triple-A but has slipped down the organization’s depth chart. Gorman is out with a back injury at the moment but has provided average offense for the Cards. The St. Louis infield picture is getting more cluttered, however, and Gorman could be squeezed out when top prospect JJ Wetherholt is ready for a big league look. Those are speculative examples, to be clear, but that’s the type of move that could provide some infield help while managing CBT limitations.

Another alternative would be trading from the big league roster to try to free up a bit more financial freedom. The previously mentioned McCormick is making $3.4MM and doesn’t have a starting role, especially when Meyers returns. Trading him would trim about $1.22MM from the CBT bill (as of this writing, though that number will drop incrementally as the deadline draws nearer). One way or another, Houston will be one of the more interesting clubs to track between now and next week’s trade deadline.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-trade-rumors-isaac-paredes-significant-injury.html
 
Latest On Eugenio Suárez’s Market

The D-backs have officially chosen a lane and are heading down a seller’s trajectory. First baseman Josh Naylor is already on his way to the Mariners for a pair of pitching prospects, but it’s third baseman Eugenio Suárez and his thunderous power output that have captivated fans of contenders for much of deadline season. The 33-year-old, earning $15MM in the final year of his contract, is hitting .252/.325/.593 with 36 home runs on the season — including 21 round-trippers dating back to June 1 (a span of 179 plate appearances.

Even after the Mariners landed Naylor, they remain in the mix for Suárez, per multiple reports from the Seattle beat (link via Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 770 AM). Naylor cost the Mariners two well-regarded pitching prospects — lefty Brandyn Garcia and righty Ashton Izzi — but left the upper tiers of a Seattle farm system that’s arguably the best in baseball untouched. Earlier in the week, Suárez was reported to be the Mariners’ top deadline target. Adding Naylor, it seems, will not put an end to that existing pursuit.

They’ll face steep competition, however, It’s known that in addition to the Mariners, each of the Reds, Cubs and Yankees have some level of interest in the Arizona third baseman. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, as John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM reported earlier today that as many as a dozen teams have at least looked into the possibility of adding Suárez to their lineup.

That includes at least one division rival. Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports that in the wake of a serious injury to Isaac Paredes, the Astros have joined the bidding for Suárez. Houston has some hurdles in their path to landing the coveted D-backs slugger, however. Owner Jim Crane has been loath to cross the luxury tax threshold for what would be a second straight season. Adding Suárez would put them into tax territory unless the ’Stros shed payroll elsewhere or convince the Snakes to pay down his salary. Houston also does not have as strong a farm system as many of the teams against which they’d be bidding.

Whether it’s Suárez or another bat, the Astros’ priorities seem to have shifted. General manager Dana Brown suggested earlier in the summer that pitching would be his primary focus. Now, with Paredes shelved indefinitely and Yordan Alvarez’s recovery from a hand fracture dragging out, Brown tells Chandler Rome of The Athletic that his primary focus is on adding to its lineup. The Astros have several starters on the mend, including Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, Spencer Arrighetti, J.P. France and Lance McCullers Jr. It seems they’ll hope for some internal reinforcements to support co-aces Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez and instead aim to use their limited financial and prospect resources to augment the offense.

With that number of teams at least on the periphery of the market, it can be presumed that most contenders have at least put out some feelers. One team that notably is not in the running, per the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, is the Mets — at least for the moment. Despite a rotating cast of characters on the infield this year — Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña have all seen time around the infield but struggled to varying extents — the Mets’ main focus has been and remains upgrading the bullpen.

That said, SNY’s Andy Martino suggests that if the Mets use that infield depth to add to the bullpen or rotation (which they’re reportedly willing to do), they could at least consider the idea of pursuing Suárez to take over at the hot corner. The Mets haven’t been keen on parting with top prospects for rental players, but the D-backs have been scouting their Double-A club, in particular, with an eye toward potential Suárez packages, per Martino.

There’s no immediate indication that a Suárez trade will come together quickly on the heels of the Naylor swap, but the very fact that Naylor is on his way out the door serves as a clear indicator that any combination of Suárez, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly — at the very least — could be on the move in the next week. The D-backs also have rental relievers Jalen Beeks and Shelby Miller as trade candidates (Miller is on the injured list but has resumed throwing), and outfielder Randal Grichuk has a mutual option that won’t be exercised by both parties.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...rumors-astros-mariners-reds-cubs-yankees.html
 
Astros Claim Logan Davidson, Place Brandon Walter On Injured List

The Astros announced Friday that they’ve claimed infielder Logan Davidson off waivers from the A’s and designated right-hander Nick Robertson for assignment in a corresponding move. Houston also placed lefty Brandon Walter on the 15-day injured list due to elbow inflammation and recalled righty Nick Hernandez from Triple-A Sugar Land.

Davidson, 27, was the Athletics’ first-round pick back in 2017. He was designated for assignment earlier in the week. The Clemson product made his big league debut this season and collected his first few big league hits but only tallied 24 plate appearances. He’s spent the bulk of the season in Triple-A Las Vegas, hitting .263/.412/.397 with a colossal 19.4% walk rate but a 26.4% strikeout rate and only seven homers in 330 plate appearances.

That’s Davidson’s third run at the Triple-A level. He’s a career .278/.374/.446 hitter in just over 900 plate appearances there. Davidson has primarily been a shortstop in his pro career but has at least 500 innings at all four infield positions and another 350 innings of outfield work under his belt. He’ll add a switch-hitting depth piece with a full slate of minor league options to the Houston depth chart.

The Astros added Robertson, 27, in an April 1 trade with the Blue Jays. He’s spent the whole season in Triple-A, where he’s worked 32 2/3 innings of relief with a 4.68 ERA, 24.8% strikeout rate and grisly 17.2% walk rate.

Robertson has a history of missing bats in the upper minors but also well below-average command. He’s pitched 35 2/3 innings across four teams (Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals, Jays) and posted a 5.30 ERA while fanning nearly a quarter of his opponents against a 6.8% ealk rate. Houston has five days to trade him or place him on outright waivers.

Walter’s IL placement is the latest in a seemingly neverending spree of injuries to Astros pitchers. The former Red Sox prospect signed a minor league deal over the winter and has been a revelation in Houston filling in for other injured starters like Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski.

In 53 2/3 innings, Walter has posted a 3.35 ERA with a 24.5% strikeout rate and an outrageous 1.9% walk rate (four walks). He’s started nine games and looked to have a rotation spot locked down before his elbow flared up.

Elbow concerns for any pitcher are ominous, but that’s perhaps particularly true in Walter’s case. He missed the entire 2024 season due to injury — albeit a rotator cuff strain rather than anything pertaining to his elbow. Still, it’s a discouraging development for him to run into another arm injury in relatively short order after returning from an entirely lost season.

The Astros were on the lookout for pitching earlier this summer, but general manager Dana Brown recently suggested that in light of a serious injury to third baseman Isaac Paredes (to say nothing of an increasingly protracted absence for Yordan Alvarez), his focus is instead on bolstering the lineup. That, of course, was before word came down about Walter’s elbow.

With Walter on the shelf, Houston’s rotation includes co-aces Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez and rookies Colton Gordon and Ryan Gusto. Candidates to step into Walter’s spot include Jason Alexander, AJ Blubaugh and Miguel Ullola, although Houston also has Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. on the mend.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-claim-logan-davidson-waivers-dfa-nick-robertson.html
 
Astros Interested In Willi Castro

The Astros’ desire to add some left-handed balance to their righty-heavy lineup doesn’t mean the team is restricting itself to solely lefty-swingers. Houston has interest in switch-hitting utilityman Willi Castro, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, though the depth of any talks between the Astros and Twins isn’t known.

Now in his third straight year of above-average offensive production, Castro’s 116 wRC+ — from a .254/.342/.423 slash line and 10 homers in 331 plate appearances — projects as his best over a full season. Castro’s career splits are pretty much even, though this season has seen him hit considerably better as a right-handed hitter (.836 OPS in 94 PA) than from the left side of the plate (.739 OPS over 233 PA). A marked increase in slugging percentage is the biggest difference between the two splits, though there is the caveat of a pretty small sample size in 2025, in comparison to the wider measure of Castro’s entire seven-year MLB career.

Even that more modest production as a left-handed bat would still check a big box for an Astros team that was sorely in need of lefty swingers even before Yordan Alvarez’s extended stint on the injured list. Taylor Trammell and Jon Singleton are the only left-handed hatters on Houston’s active roster, and Victor Caratini and Cooper Hummel are switch-hitters. While the Astros have good offensive numbers overall, their collective 101 wRC+ against right-handed pitching ranks around the middle of the league, and is a clear flaw to be exploited by rival pitching staffs.

Castro’s ability to play all over the diamond is also a key selling point to his trade value. Houston has nine position players on the injured list, so Castro can both help provide needed depth right now, and can be mixed-and-matched at any number of positions once some of those injured Astros get back to action. Speaking with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM today, Astros GM Dana Brown said that it would be particularly helpful to obtain a left-handed bat who can play within the infield or in left field specifically, as landing such a left field option would allow the Astros to move Jose Altuve back to second base and address the undermanned infield mix.

Third base could be the larger issue at the moment, as Brown also stated today that Isaac Paredes would be getting a second opinion on a hamstring strain that “is a little bit more severe than we projected.” Manager Joe Espada already stated earlier this week that Paredes was facing a “pretty serious” injury and wouldn’t comment one way or the other about the possibility that Paredes’ season could be over. Brown’s update that Paredes is getting a second opinion seems to imply that a hamstring surgery could be under consideration, which would certainly rule Paredes out for the remainder of 2025.

Minnesota’s 7-2 loss to the Nationals today dropped the Twins to 50-55 on the season, and 5.5 games back of the last AL wild card slot. It is becoming increasingly likely that the Twins will be primarily looking to sell at the deadline, and thus impending free agents like Castro are natural trade chips. Castro’s versatility and switch-hitting bat will make him a hot commodity in trade talks, plus the roughly $2.133MM remaining on his $6.4MM salary for 2025 makes him a fit in any contender’s budget.

For the Astros in particular, Castro’s low price tag has appeal since the club is known to be wanting to stay under the $241MM luxury tax threshold. Houston’s estimated $235.5MM tax number (as per RosterResource) gives the Astros only a little bit of room to maneuver, but since injuries have opened up so many holes on the roster, it will be difficult for Brown to address everything in a meaningful way without bringing in enough extra salary to cross the tax line.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-interested-in-willi-castro.html
 
Astros To Designate Jon Singleton For Assignment

The Astros are designating first baseman Jon Singleton for assignment, according to an announcement from Singleton’s wife Linzy on social media this afternoon. Additional roster maneuvering will be necessary to replace Singleton on the club’s active roster, but it’s not clear what the corresponding transaction will be at this point.

Singleton, 34 in September, was added to the club’s roster last week alongside Shay Whitcomb in the wake of an injury to third baseman Isaac Paredes last week. Singleton ultimately appeared in just three games for the Astros this year, during which he went 1-for-9 with at the plate with one strikeout and no walks. He began the season in the Mets’ minor league system but signed a minor league deal with Houston back in July. Between those two club’s Triple-A affiliates, Singleton has slashed a solid .224/.373/.451 this year with 16 homers in 306 trips to the plate.

The veteran first baseman previously was rostered by the Astros last year as their regular first baseman after the departure of Jose Abreu. Singleton provided a league average bat for the Astros at the position as he slashed .234/.321/.386 with a wRC+ of 104 across 119 games. It was a solid enough performance to earn Singleton consideration for the club’s 2025 roster, but Houston eventually pivoted away from Singleton due to incoming first baseman Christian Walker. With Walker at first base and Yordan Alvarez expected to serve as the club’s everyday DH, there was no path to playing time for Singleton in Houston. Injuries have opened up playing time since then, but the Astros have generally preferred to opt for younger or more versatile options like Taylor Trammell and Cooper Hummel when filling out their roster this year.

Singleton has plenty of history with the Astros organization. A top prospect in the Phillies’s system who was dealt to Houston in a trade for Hunter Pence, Singleton signed a five-year, $10MM extension with the Astros before he even made his MLB debut. The deal was widely viewed as a coup for the Astros at the time, but Singleton struggled upon arriving in the big leagues back in 2014 and slashed just .171/.290/.331 across two seasons in the majors. He did not resurface in the big leagues until the 2023 season and spent time playing both in the minors and for independent leagues during his years away from the majors.

The loss of Singleton leaves them without another lefty bat on the roster. Pending the corresponding move for Singleton’s exit, the Astros only have Trammell (as well as switch-hitters Hummel and backup catcher Victor Caratini) capable of batting from the left side on their roster. As for Singleton, the Astros will have until the trade deadline on July 21 to attempt to work out a trade involving him or else he’ll be passed through waivers. If he clears waivers unclaimed, he’ll have the opportunity to accept an outright assignment from the Astros and remain in their minor league system or test free agency.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-to-designate-jon-singleton-for-assignment.html
 
Astros Talked With Mets About Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio

The Astros are keen on adding left-handed hitting to their righty-heavy lineup, and “at least inquired” with the Mets about the availability of Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty, and switch-hitter Ronny Mauricio, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Since the Mets are known to be open to dealing from their infield depth, a trade between the two sides would seem to make sense on paper, though it isn’t known if the discussions gained any traction.

McNeil is in something of a different category than the other two players, as McNeil is an established big league commodity. In fact, the 33-year-old is again producing above-average offense after a couple of down years, as McNeil is hitting .251/.356/.453 with nine home runs over 265 plate appearances. Between this steady bat and McNeil’s ability to play both second base and all three outfield positions (with a particular focus on center field this year), it is hard to imagine the Mets parting ways with such a key cog in their lineup.

On the financial side of things, McNeil is controlled through 2027 as per the four-year, $50MM extension he signed with New York prior to the 2023 season. He is owed the remainder of his $15.75MM salary for 2025, another $15.75MM in 2026, and there is a $2MM buyout on a $15.75MM club option for 2027. Barring a similar contract heading back to the Mets, a McNeil trade would put the Astros well over the luxury tax threshold, which seemed to be an unofficial spending limit for the club last offseason. Recent reports indicate that Houston might well consider exceeding the tax line in certain circumstances, but bringing McNeil aboard may not qualify.

Landing Baty or Mauricio is perhaps more of a viable option for the Astros, though New York would also want something significant for either player, given their years of team control and their still-recent status as top-100 prospects. Baty has hit only .220/.284/.352 over 865 PA in the majors, however, and perhaps has fallen out of favor after once being viewed as the Amazins’ third baseman of the future. Mauricio has a more respectable .245/.303/.400 slash line from a small sample of 238 career PA, and he is back in action this season after missing the entire 2024 campaign recovering from a torn ACL.

While the two youngsters still have something to prove as big leaguers, the change-of-scenery potential could be attractive to the Astros, as well as Houston’s more immediate near-term needs. The Astros were thin on left-handed hitting even before the heavy swath of injuries that sent seven position players to the IL — Yordan Alvarez, their most prominent lefty-swinger, has now missed close to three months due to a hand fracture.

Jeremy Pena is expected back at shortstop within the next few days, so Baty or Mauricio could be used at second or third base. Isaac Paredes and Brendan Rodgers are also on the IL and not expected back soon, so a new face at second base would move Jose Altuve into left field on a more regular basis, thus addressing Houston’s outfield needs. (GM Dana Brown outlined this possible scenario this past weekend.)
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...ut-jeff-mcneil-brett-baty-ronny-mauricio.html
 
Astros Interested In Carlos Correa Reunion

July 31: Nightengale reports that the talks between the two clubs are “all but dead,” adding that Houston asked Minnesota to pay “about $50MM” of the $102.5MM remaining in Correa’s contract and also asked for an outfielder to be included in the deal. Nightengale adds that the Twins rejected that offer and “aren’t budging” from that position. Rome reports (alongside The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal) that talks between the sides have continued despite both sides downplaying the likelihood of a trade.

July 30, 12:37pm: The Astros approached the Twins about the possibility, Chandler Rome and Dan Hayes of The Athletic report. Astros owner Jim Crane has “remained a fan” of Correa since his departure, they note, adding that the Twins believe Houston is perhaps the only destination to which Correa would green-light a trade. Nightengale adds that Correa indeed would be open to returning to Houston and playing third base there. That said, Hayes and Rome echo Passan in writing that the two sides are far apart and a deal is not at all close.

12:07pm: The Twins and Astros have indeed talked about the possibility of a Correa trade but aren’t close to an agreement, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.

9:52am: As the Astros seek help in the infield following injuries to Isaac Paredes and Jeremy Pena, they’ve looked into the possibility of bringing Carlos Correa back to Houston, as first reported by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that the two parties have had discussions on the possibility. MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart adds that Houston’s interest “is real.” Nightengale adds that Houston remains interested in Eugenio Suárez as well and has at least weighed the possibility of another run at Nolan Arenado.

The Correa scenario presents a fascinating, if unexpected wrinkle to this summer’s deadline market. In the offseason, Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey downplayed the possibility of trading his shortstop, and Correa himself voiced an affinity for Minnesota when asked about his no-trade clause at the time.

It’s fair to wonder whether either party’s stance has changed. The Twins have struggled through a sub-.500 four months of baseball and have minimal hope of reaching the postseason. The Pohlad family is exploring a sale of the team, and while that was true over the winter as well, the former front-runner to purchase the Twins, Justin Ishbia, has since instead reached a long-term agreement to become the majority stakeholder in the White Sox (where he was already a minority owner). On Correa’s end of things, returning to his original organization and jumping back into a playoff race would presumably be appealing.

Correa is still owed significant money. He signed a six-year, $200MM deal with four vesting options prior to the 2023 season. He’ll make a combined $92MM from 2026-28 and also still has about $11.6MM of this year’s salary yet to be paid out. The Twins would almost certainly have to pay down a portion of the contract to make a deal work.

Even if Minnesota did so, however, adding Correa back to the roster in Houston would send the Astros soaring past the luxury tax threshold. They’re currently about $4.5MM shy of that barrier, per RosterResource. Owner Jim Crane was steadfastly against exceeding the tax threshold in the offseason — at least in most scenarios. His lone exception, it seemed, would have been for a reunion with Alex Bregman. Whether Crane is feeling more urgency due to Houston’s litany of injuries or simply harbors some sentimentality for another former Astros star, one has to imagine he’s grown more comfortable crossing the tax threshold.

That Correa is in the midst of a sub-par season only further muddies the water. The 30-year-old hit brilliantly for the Twins last year in an injury-shortened campaign, batting .310/.388/.517 with his typical brand of strong defense at shortstop. He’s rebounded from a poor start in 2025 to an extent, but Correa’s .267/.319/.386 slash is slightly under league average (97 wRC+). Over his past 274 plate appearances, Correa is hitting .300 with a .350 on-base percentage but just a .423 slugging percentage. His power is down substantially this season, in part because his ground-ball rate has spiked to a 48.5% — its highest level in five years.

A renewed run at Arenado would register as something of a surprise. Arenado invoked his no-trade clause to nix a trade to Houston over the winter. Now that the Astros are in first place, he’d likely be more open to a move there. However, he’s in the midst of a third straight down year at the plate and is still owed substantial money.

Arenado, 34, is hitting a career-worst .235/.295/.367 in 390 plate appearances. By measure of wRC+, he’s been 16% worse than average at the plate. He remains a strong defensive third baseman but no longer draws top-of-the-scale grades from defensive metrics. He’s earning $32MM this year, $27MM next year and $15MM in 2027. It’s a steep price to pay for a former All-Star whose bat is has been on the downswing for several years now. The Cardinals would need to eat a major portion of the contract, but there’s still enough left on the deal that Arenado, too, would surely put Houston over the luxury threshold.

Suárez, owed $4.8MM for the remainder of the season, might not quite put the Astros over that edge, though the Diamondbacks could always include some cash to coax a more favorable return. The bidding on the 34-year-old slugger will be fierce, however, and Houston’s farm system is not as well regarded as some of the other teams who’ll be vying for Suárez and his 36 home runs. The Mariners, Cubs, Tigers, Phillies and Reds are among the teams also pursuing him.

Paredes could miss the remainder of the season — Nightengale notes that surgery is a consideration — but he’s controlled for an additional two years. Pena is on the mend from fractured ribs but is also controlled through 2027. Given the Astros’ multiple years of control over the left side of their infield, Suárez represents a cleaner fit than either Correa or Arenado. Paredes could slide over to second base in subsequent seasons if the Astros wind up with a new infielder who’s signed beyond the current season, but he’s played the vast majority of his career at third base.

Correa’s name hasn’t come up until this point, but the Twins are expected to be active sellers over the next two days. Righty Chris Paddack was already moved to the Tigers, and rental players like Willi Castro, Harrison Bader and Danny Coulombe are all expected to change hands as well. The more interesting element is whether the Twins will cave and trade anyone controlled longer-term. Relievers Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax have been two of the most sought-after names on the bullpen market, and any contending team would love to add righty Joe Ryan to its rotation. All three are controlled through 2027, however. Add in the new possibility of a Correa deal, and there’s plenty for the Minnesota front office to do over the next day and a half.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...rrea-trade-twins-nolan-arenado-cardinals.html
 
Astros Acquire Carlos Correa

Carlos Correa is coming home to play third base. The Twins have agreed to trade Correa to the Astros, according to MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, and Jon Morosi of MLB Network says he’ll man the hot corner for Houston. Pitching prospect Matt Mikulski is going to Minnesota, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Twins are paying down $33MM of the approximate $103.4MM remaining on Correa’s deal. The trade is now official.



The idea of the Astros bringing Correa back into the fold first surfaced yesterday in a report from Nightengale. Rome and Dan Hayes of The Athletic went on to report that the Astros approached the Twins with the concept of bringing back Correa, a favorite of owner Jim Crane.

With $103.4MM remaining on Correa’s contract through 2028, reporting today suggested that the two clubs were too far apart on dollars to consummate a deal. However, as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports, the teams bridged their financial gap, Correa waived his no-trade clause, and the deal was resuscitated. As Correa told McTaggart, “I let them know there was only one team I would allow that to happen.”

The Astros and Crane have a history of letting star players depart for longer free agent deals elsewhere. In this case, Correa left after the 2021 season. Nearly three years later third baseman Alex Bregman turned down the Astros’ overtures and landed in Boston, after the club had already landed his replacement in Isaac Paredes (acquired from the Cubs in part because the Astros knew they couldn’t win the bidding on Kyle Tucker). Paredes tore his hamstring on July 19th, which may be season-ending.

Jeremy Peña has flourished in Correa’s absence, making his first All-Star team this year after hitting the IL in late June for a fractured rib. Peña could rejoin the Astros tomorrow in Boston, playing next to his predecessor on the left side of the infield against Bregman and the Red Sox. The Astros had picked up Ramon Urias from Baltimore last night, a move that paled in comparison to the division-rival Mariners adding Eugenio Suarez. Now with Correa, Urias will be pushed into a utility role that could include time at second base.

Correa, 31 in September, owns an uninspiring 97 wRC+ in 364 plate appearances this year for the Twins. His Twins career has been up-and-down in that regard, with a stellar 136 wRC+ in 2022, a down year in ’23, and a career-best 155 mark last year.

Correa played in only 86 games for the Twins in 2024, missing time due to an intercostal strain and plantar fasciitis. He spent time on the seven-day concussion list in May this year, but has otherwise avoided the IL despite some minor injuries.

Injuries have long been part of the story for Correa, who was drafted first overall by the Astros in 2012. He played 110 or fewer games in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2024, so he had a four-year run of good health encompassing his multiple free agencies.

Despite his injury history, Correa has been worth 3.7 WAR in seven separate seasons. He won the AL Rookie of the Year in 2015, made his first All-Star team and garnered MVP votes in 2017, made another All-Star team and finished fifth in the MVP voting in 2021, and made a third All-Star game with the Twins last year. Certainly Correa’s 2017 performance and the Astros’ championship are tarnished by the sign-stealing scandal, but the star players involved have largely been able to move on with minimal effects aside from perhaps extra boos from certain fanbases.

Correa has been a regular on the pages of MLBTR, perhaps beginning with that sign-stealing scandal in late 2019. Though Correa suffered some reputational damage for cheating at the time, his first run at free agency seemed largely unaffected. Hewing to their organizational philosophy on long-term contracts, the Astros topped out at a five-year, $160MM offer, even though Correa was heading into his age-27 season.

Though some major free agents such as Corey Seager signed before the 99-day 2021-22 lockout, Correa did not. Correa switched to the Boras Corporation during the lockout, and “settled” for a three-year, $105.3MM deal with the Twins in March 2022 with opt-out clauses after each season. After an excellent debut season with the Twins, Correa opted out as expected, but his second run at free agency was anything but easy.

Correa agreed to a 13-year, $350MM deal with the Giants in December 2022, which shockingly fell apart after his physical revealed concerns over his right leg. Correa then agreed to play third base for the Mets on a 12-year, $315MM deal, only to have that deal fall apart for similar reasons. That led to a January 2023 reunion with the Twins on a six-year, $200MM deal, ending one of the wildest free agencies this website has ever seen.

As Rome and Hayes wrote recently, “Though the Twins are enamored with Correa, believing he’s a difference-maker on the field, the team’s financial picture has changed drastically in the 30 months since he signed his six-year deal. The club has been up for sale since October, which is limiting how much the team can spend on players. Correa’s salary represents 25 percent of the Twins’ current $141 million payroll.”

Now, Correa will return to Houston and play a position other than shortstop for the first time in his 11-year MLB career. He told McTaggart, “We were waiting for a shortstop to come in [with Twins] and now that I get to play third base, it will be great for me at this stage of my career.” Whether Paredes moves to the right side of the infield next year or becomes offseason trade bait remains to be seen.

Correa is owed $103.4MM through 2028, which would represent a $31.4MM CBT hit for the Astros. Given the approximate $33MM the Twins are kicking in, we estimate the Astros’ CBT hit to be around $21MM. Future reporting will surely confirm the figure. The Astros’ CBT payroll sits just below the $241MM threshold, so this trade easily vaults Houston into second-time tax payor status. The trade has echoes of one the Astros made two years ago, when they re-acquired Justin Verlander after letting him go to the Mets via free agency.

Known to be seeking a left-handed bat, the Astros nonetheless added Urias and Correa within a short span at the deadline. But shortly after landing Correa, they finally did get a lefty stick in the Marlins’ Jesus Sanchez. Clearly in go-for-it mode, GM Dana Brown pursued the Padres’ Dylan Cease as well, but that did not come to fruition.

While the Astros have added to their first-place team, the 51-57 Twins have conducted a full-on fire sale. Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey traded a whopping 10 players off his active roster in July, including both rentals and controllable players.

This post was originally published at 3:05pm central time.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-to-acquire-carlos-correa.html
 
Astros Announce Several Roster Moves

The Astros announced a lengthy slate of post-deadline moves Friday. Houston reinstated shortstop Jeremy Pena from the injured list and designated infielder Zack Short for assignment. The Astros also activated newly reacquired Carlos Correa and fellow trade acquisitions Jesus Sanchez and Ramon Urias, adding all three to the active roster.

In corresponding roster moves, Infield prospect Brice Matthews and outfield prospect Jacob Melton were optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land. The ’Stros also recalled righty Nick Hernandez to take the roster spot of righty Ryan Gusto, who was traded to the Marlins in the Sanchez deal. Finally, right-hander Nick Robertson was outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers. He’d been designated for assignment earlier in the week.

Pena wound up missing more than a month due to a fracture in his ribcage. He was in the midst of a breakout, MVP-caliber season prior to landing on the injured list. The 27-year-old has slashed .322/.378/.489 (143 wRC+) with 11 homers, 18 doubles, a triple and 15 steals in 350 plate appearances. He was also playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at shortstop, generating plus marks from Defensive Runs Saved (7) and Outs Above Average (4). He’ll return to his customary shortstop, while the newly reacquired Correa will slide over to third base in deference to the young shortstop who he mentored during the pair’s prior overlap in the Astros organization.

As for Short, he’ll be placed on waivers within the next five days now that the trade deadline has passed. He’s appeared in 22 games and taken 56 plate appearances with just a .220/.291/.380 output to show in that small sample. The 30-year-old Short has appeared in parts of five big league seasons and is a .172/.271/.296 hitter in 594 trips to the plate as a major leaguer. He’s a solid defender at multiple infield positions but is out of minor league options, so he’ll either clear waivers or have to stick on the major league roster of another club that claims him.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/astros-announce-several-roster-moves.html
 
Marlins Designate Anthony Veneziano For Assignment

The Marlins have designated left-hander Anthony Veneziano for assignment, per a team announcement. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to outfield prospect Jakob Marsee, whose previously reported promotion to the majors has now been officially announced. Miami also optioned righty Ryan Gusto, acquired from the Astros in yesterday’s Jesus Sanchez trade, to Triple-A Jacksonville.

The 27-year-old Veneziano was a waiver claim out of the Royals system last year. He’s pitched a combined 36 2/3 major league innings between those two clubs and logged a solid 3.93 ERA. Veneziano has struck out 20.6% of his major league opponents and yielded a roughly average 8.8% walk rate. He’s also kept the ball on the ground at a respectable 41.4% clip and averaged 94.4 mph on his four-seamer (albeit just 94.1 mph this year, compared to 94.8 mph in 2024).

It’s a decent track record for the former 10th-rounder, although Veneziano has had a much rougher go in Triple-A Jacksonville this season. While he’s only tossed 12 1/3 innings there, he’s been tagged for eight runs (5.84 ERA) on 12 hits and an unsightly nine walks in that time.

Veneziano is in the second of three minor league option years and has had some success at the big league level. Given the limited means of adding depth following the trade deadline, he could latch on with another club via waivers. Miami will place him on waivers within the next five days, and those waivers will take an additional 48 hours whenever the Fish to choose to begin the process.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/marlins-designate-anthony-veneziano-for-assignment.html
 
Astros Acquire Jesús Sánchez

The Astros have acquired left-handed hitting outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Marlins. In exchange, Miami has received right-hander Ryan Gusto, infield prospect Chase Jaworsky, and outfield prospect Esmil Valencia. Both teams have announced the trade.

Houston was known to be seeking a left-handed bat ahead of the deadline, to help balance out a lineup that is sorely missing star slugger Yordan Alvarez. Sánchez is no Alvarez, but he has provided the Marlins with above-average power throughout his career, particularly against right-handed pitching. He has hit double-digit home runs in each of the past five seasons, while his career .184 isolated power (ISO) is about 15% better than league average. Mediocre on-base skills and a typically high strikeout rate mean his overall numbers are closer to average (career 100 wRC+), but he has been consistently productive with the platoon advantage. Sánchez has hit 60 of his 69 home runs against right-handers, with a .203 ISO and a 115 wRC+. He has been particularly effective against righties this year, with a career-best 125 wRC+ and a 19.4% strikeout rate. While his 27.6% strikeout rate against southpaws is still quite high, his overall 20.8% strikeout rate is easily the lowest of his career; this is the first year he has ever had a strikeout rate better than the league average.

Sánchez is strictly a platoon bat, with a .178/.226/.284 career slash line against lefties, but that shouldn’t be a problem for the Astros, who rank second in MLB in OPS and wRC+ against left-handed pitching and have enough right-handed hitters that they shouldn’t have any trouble shielding Sánchez from southpaws. However, the only lefties on their active roster right now are Taylor Trammell and Jacob Melton, as well as the switch-hitting Victor Caratini and Cooper Hummel, and they rank among the bottom half of teams in OPS and wRC+ against right-handers. So, it’s not hard to see how Sánchez slots in and improves the lineup. He can take outfield playing time that’s been going to Hummel, Melton, and Trammell, and/or DH reps that have been going to Caratini against right-handed pitching.

In exchange for Sánchez, who is making $4.5MM this year and remains under team control through arbitration through 2027, the Marlins receive a rookie hurler and two position player prospects. According to MLB Pipeline, Jaworsky, 21, is the headliner; they have him ranked as Houston’s no. 13 prospect, while Valencia is no longer on the organizational top 30. Similarly, Baseball America put Jaworsky at no. 22 and did not rank Valencia in their latest update. Most sources agree that Jaworsky projects as a utility infielder with good speed, but a lack of power means he’ll need to improve his plate discipline in order to get enough out of his hit tool. FanGraphs, interestingly, is higher on Valencia (Astros no. 20) than Jaworsky (no. 26). The 19-year-old outfielder seems to have a higher offensive ceiling but carries more risk, in large part due to poor swing decisions. Ultimately, both players project as role players; that’s not too surprising considering Sánchez himself isn’t an everyday player.

As for Gusto, he wasn’t a name that many had an eye on entering the season, but the 26-year-old has been surprisingly effective in his first big league campaign. Through 24 games (14 starts), he has a 4.92 ERA and a much more impressive 3.92 SIERA over 86 innings pitched. He helped the Astros survive a great number of pitching injuries over the first four months of the season, but with Houston looking to add pitching today and hoping to reinstate some arms from the IL soon, Gusto was expendable. He will now be able to help the Marlins fill innings over the remainder of the season, and they’ll have him under team control (with three option years remaining) for another five seasons.

Sánchez heading to the Marlins was first reported by Michael Schwab. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand added that the Marlins would receive Gusto in the deal. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported the Marlins would also get back two prospects in exchange for Sánchez. Isaac Azout of Fish on First identified one of the prospects as Jaworsky, while Craig Mish of Sportsgrid identified the other as Valencia.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-to-acquire-jesus-sanchez.html
 
No Dylan Cease Trade Between Astros, Padres

5:06pm: Houston did not get a Cease deal done, reports Chandler Rome of The Athletic.

3:49pm: The Astros’ monster deadline may not be finished. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that Houston is “working hard” to try to land Dylan Cease. Jon Heyman of The New York Post writes that talks between the clubs are “progressing” and suggests the Astros could try to get a reliever in the deal as well. There’s no suggestion an agreement has been reached nor that a trade is inevitable, but Houston certainly appears to be trying to get another massive deal over the finish line.

Cease remains one of the biggest wild cards of deadline season. San Diego is trying to balance things financially while taking a few massive swings of their own today. They’ve already added Mason Miller, JP Sears, Ryan O’Hearn, Ramón Laureano, Freddy Fermin and Will Wagner. That takes care of their biggest needs — left field, DH, catcher, backup infielder — but hasn’t halted talks on Cease. He’s owed $13.75MM in his final arbitration season.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-still-pursuing-dylan-cease-trade.html
 
Astros, Twins Reportedly Discussed Christian Walker In Carlos Correa Trade

5:17PM: Nightengale clarified his earlier report, saying that it was the Twins who first floated Walker’s name and the Astros who passed on moving the first baseman.

2:56PM: The Astros and Twins pulled off a shocking move in the final hours before the deadline that brought three-time All-Star infielder Carlos Correa back home to the team that he spent the first seven seasons of his career with. The deal sent Correa to Houston in exchange for pitching prospect Matt Mikulski, with the Twins retaining $33MM of the $103.4MM remaining on Correa’s contract. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale provided additional details on the Correa negotiations this morning.

Most notably, Nightengale writes that the sides talked about including veteran first baseman Christian Walker as part of the return headed to Minnesota in exchange for Correa’s services. He adds that while the Twins “had the opportunity” to acquire Walker as part of the deal, they passed on taking the final two years and $40MM of his contract on. That’s not exactly a shocking decision. Given that Mikulski is a 26-year-old who has not yet even reached the Double-A level, it’s fair to view the Correa deal as a pure salary dump for Minnesota. Previous reporting has indicated that the Twins are more than $400MM in debt, and Nightengale writes that the club has lost $40MM this year.

That would make adding a larger contract like that of Walker counterproductive in most scenarios. Perhaps there was a version of the deal where the Twins retained less of Correa’s salary while taking on Walker’s contract, but given his mediocre 2025 campaign (96 wRC+, 0.6 fWAR) and the fact that he’s already 34 years old it’s understandable that the Twins wouldn’t be too interested in adding him at the beginning of a rebuild that might not end until Walker has already hit free agency.

There’s at least an argument to be made that he would’ve been a worthwhile addition to the club based on their lack of a long-term solution at the position, however. Kody Clemens is currently serving as the club’s first baseman and has blasted 12 homers in 65 games since landing in Minnesota, but is a career 82 wRC+ hitter in 222 big league games who seems unlikely to sustain that sort of production. Edouard Julien and Jose Miranda are both capable of playing the position and have past big league success but poor performance has relegated them to the minors for much of the year.

That could make the veteran consistency Walker could provide quite attractive in theory, especially after the loss of Correa and others from the clubhouse could leave a dearth of veteran leadership in the clubhouse outside of franchise face Byron Buxton. On the other hand, Walker lacks much upside; even his best seasons with the Diamondbacks saw him peak at a wRC+ of around 120, and the Twins could likely find a younger, cheaper alternative who has more of a chance to develop into a middle-of-the-order force if they were interested in doing so this offseason.

While the Twins may not have been a fit for Walker’s services, Nightengale suggests that the veteran might get shopped by the Astros this winter in a bid to make room for infielder Isaac Paredes as first base next year. That’s a sensible assumption based on the composition of the club’s roster. While the idea of Paredes moving to second was briefly floated last offseason, there’s been a great deal of skepticism since then about his viability as a defender at third base. Yordan Alvarez must be penciled in as the club’s DH even after a 2025 season that has been mostly lost to injury, and with a former Gold Glove shortstop in Correa who’s eager to move to third base in deference to fellow Gold Glove shortstop Jeremy Pena there isn’t room for Paredes on the left side of the infield anymore.

At the same time, Paredes’s bat is much too important to lose from the lineup. The two-time All-Star has hit an impressive .259/.359/.470 with 19 homers, 15 doubles, and triple in 96 games for the Astros this year. The third baseman is expected to miss the remainder of the 2025 season at this point, so fitting him into the lineup is not a concern in the short-term. First base seems like by far the most logic fit the slugger for the 2026 season, however. Paredes is under team control through the end of the 2027 season, so he’ll need to find a new long-term home in Houston with Correa set to take over the hot corner.

That will likely make Walker expendable this offseason. He’s certainly not had the season either side was hoping for when he signed with the Astros on a three-year, $60MM deal this past offseason. Back in June, MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk wrote about the lackluster start Walker had to his Astros career. He’s begun to turn things around since then, with a strong .288/.352/.466 (129 wRC+) slash line in 186 plate appearances since that article was published, but the concerns discussed in that piece still ring true. Walker is an aging, pricey veteran on a multi-year contract who has begun to show signs of decline.

It’s not the easiest profile to find a suitor for, but perhaps there will be a team in need of help at first base this winter with whom the club can work out a trade—particularly if they’re willing to pay down some of Walker’s remaining salary. The veteran’s play over the season’s final two months and into the postseason figures to have a major influence over how feasible an offseason trade will end up being and how much money, if any the Astros would have to retain in order to move him.

If Houston’s front office doesn’t find an offer they deem acceptable for Walker, there are other avenues to working out the infield logjam, though each presents some issues. Perhaps Paredes could see some time at second base despite defensive questions. It’s possible that Walker could get some playing time at DH on days Alvarez plays the outfield, with Jose Altuve at second base. A trade of Paredes could even theoretically be considered, especially if a similarly well-regarded and controllable outfielder was available in return. As the Astros demonstrated for Jose Abreu, they’re also not opposed to simply cutting ties with a struggling veteran who no longer fits the club’s needs, though Walker would surely need to take an extreme turn for the worse in order for that option to be on the table.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...-christian-walker-in-carlos-correa-trade.html
 
Astros Release Omar Narvaez

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.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/astros-release-omar-narvaez.html
 
Astros Acquire John Rooney From Marlins

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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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/astros-acquire-john-rooney-from-marlins.html
 
Twins Have Expressed Interest In Ryan Pressly

The Cubs released veteran reliever Ryan Pressly over the weekend. Chicago had designated the two-time All-Star for assignment on deadline day after acquiring Taylor Rogers. The 36-year-old is now free to explore other opportunities, which could include a return to either of his previous teams.

Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports that the Twins have reached out to Pressly’s camp to express interest. Meanwhile, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote on Sunday that the Astros were thinking about trying to re-sign the righty. It’s unclear if the Astros have spoken with Pressly or were simply weighing the idea internally. In either case, there’s no guarantee the 13-year big leaguer continues pitching. Hayes writes that Pressly is considering his options, including retirement.

The decision wouldn’t be about money, at least not for the remainder of this season. Pressly is guaranteed his $14MM salary whether or not he signs elsewhere. The Astros are covering $5.5MM as part of the offseason trade that sent him to Chicago. The Cubs are on the hook for the other $8.5MM. If Pressly were to sign, his new team would pay the prorated portion of the $760K league minimum for his time in the majors — which would come off the Cubs’ books. There could be a long-term financial consideration in the sense that playing the final two months could elevate his stock before a return trip to free agency in the offseason. That’d only be relevant if he continues his career in 2026.

Before this season, Pressly had divided his MLB career between Minnesota and Houston. He pitched with the Twins between 2013-18, moving to Houston at the ’18 deadline. Pressly had been a productive reliever in the Twin Cities, but his career really took off with the Astros. He made both All-Star appearances and got his first closing opportunity in Houston. He made the postseason all seven years with the Astros, winning a ring in 2022. Pressly recorded 14 saves with a 2.78 ERA in 47 career playoff appearances.

If he were to return to one of his former clubs, one would imagine the Astros are the more desirable landing spot. They’re three games up in the AL West race and have a good shot to make the playoffs. Minnesota is eight games below .500 and decimated the bullpen at the deadline. They’re playing out the string and looking for relievers who can backfill the innings they traded away. Pressly is also a Texas native whose wife is from the Houston area — which was a consideration for the reliever in deciding whether to waive his no-trade clause to leave the Astros in the first place.

That said, a return to the Astros would presumably require pitching in lower-leverage spots. Pressly reportedly wasn’t thrilled with the Astros bumping him from the ninth inning to sign Josh Hader during the 2023-24 offseason. He didn’t force his way out of Houston — that was a team decision motivated by a desire to cut payroll — but GM Dana Brown acknowledged in January that the relationship between him and Pressly changed after the Hader signing. The Twins, who now have a bullpen comprising almost entirely journeymen and depth pickups, could promise him late-inning work. It’s also possible Pressly has fielded calls from other teams that haven’t been reported.

Pressly’s stint with the Cubs was a disappointment. He turned in a 4.35 ERA with a career-low 15% strikeout rate. He lost his hold on the closer role by the middle of April. Pressly remained an effective reliever as recently as last year, pitching to a 3.49 ERA over 56 2/3 frames with Houston.
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/twins-have-expressed-interest-in-ryan-pressly.html
 
Astros Outright Zack Short

Infielder Zack Short has been sent outright to Triple-A Sugar Land, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment a few days ago. He has the right to elect free agency though the log doesn’t say he will do so. Infielder Luis Guillorme has been released by the Space Cowboys, according to his transactions tracker.

Short, 30, signed a minor league deal with the Astros in the offseason. He was selected to the big league roster in early July as the club was dealing with injuries to Jeremy Peña, Brendan Rodgers, Zach Dezenzo and Guillorme.

Short got into 22 games, taking up a lot of Peña’s shortstop playing time. He hit .220/.291/.380 in 56 plate appearances, hitting two home runs but also striking out at 32.1% clip. The Astros bolstered their infield at the deadline by acquiring old friend Carlos Correa as well as Ramón Urías. In addition to that, Peña was able to come off the IL the day after the deadline.

All of those developments nudged Short off the roster. Since he’s out of options, he got pushed onto the waiver wire and has passed through unclaimed. If he decides to accept the assignment, he’ll provide the Astros with some non-roster depth. He hasn’t hit much in his big league career but can play the three infield spots to the left of first base as well as a bit of outfield.

Guillorme’s release is a bit curious since he was just re-signed to a new minor league deal five days ago. Perhaps he received a big league offer with another club or maybe the Space Cowboys needed to open a roster spot for Short.

He has generally been a subpar hitter in his career but has received strong grades for his second base defense while also having the ability to play shortstop and third base. He should be able to find another landing spot shortly, if he hasn’t already.

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/astros-outright-zack-short.html
 
Astros Reinstate Spencer Arrighetti, Transfer Isaac Paredes To 60-Day IL

The Astros announced today that right-hander Spencer Arrighetti has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Righty AJ Blubaugh has been optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land as the corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, infielder Isaac Paredes has been transferred to the 60-day IL.

Arrighetti had a decent debut with the Astros last year, tossing 145 innings with a 4.53 earned run average. His 10.3% walk rate was a bit high but he punched out 27.1% of batters faced. Ideally, he would have built on that foundation in 2025 but a freak injury got in the way. He was throwing on the field during pregame batting practice when an errant ball struck him and broke his thumb. He had made just two starts before landing on the IL and has been out of action until today.

That was one of many rotation injuries suffered by the Astros this year. Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski required Tommy John surgery. Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier and J.P. France are still trying to get healthy after surgeries in previous years. Brandon Walter is on the IL due to elbow inflammation while Lance McCullers Jr. is sidelined by a blister.

Despite all that, the Astros are having a great year, currently atop the American League West. That’s thanks in large part to huge contributions from Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez. Arrighetti can now join those two in the rotation, alongside Colton Gordon and Jason Alexander. Each of Javier, Garcia and France have begun rehab assignments, so they could be factors in the coming weeks.

As for Paredes, he landed on the 10-day IL on July 20th due to a right hamstring strain. All the reporting out of Houston has indicated the strain is significant and could perhaps end his season. Per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, surgery was a possibility, though that would have come with a six-month recovery period. Paredes is instead trying the rest-and-rehab approach, which gives him a chance to return late in the season.

Though it’s possible Paredes could be back, the Astros aren’t relying on it. They acquired old friend Carlos Correa from the Twins ahead of the trade deadline to take over for Paredes at third base. Today’s transfer indicates they don’t expect Paredes to be back before the middle of September, as the 60-day count is retroactive to his initial IL placement. If he is able to come back, it’s unclear where he will play, but the club’s designated hitter spot is open for now with Yordan Alvarez also on the IL. Paredes could also perhaps slide over to second or first base, though it’s also possible future injuries will open playing time between now and the end of the season.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” general manager Dana Brown said, per McTaggart. “We have multiple infielders who can play multiple positions, and that’s very helpful. That would be a good decision to have to make.”

Photo courtesy of Jordan Johnson, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...etti-transfer-isaac-paredes-to-60-day-il.html
 
MLBTR Podcast: Sifting Through The Trade Deadline Deals

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 Steve Adams and Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to go over the various deadline dealings, including…


Check out our past episodes!


The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff. Check out their Facebook page here!

Photo courtesy of Chadd Cady, Imagn Images
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Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/08/mlbtr-podcast-sifting-through-the-trade-deadline-deals.html
 
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