White’s exit tough on Hinch; Correa makes progress
Tyler White’s nameplate no longer hangs in the Minute Maid Park clubhouse, but the weight of his departure still lingered Saturday afternoon with Astros manager A.J. Hinch.
White, who was out of minor league options, was designated for assignment after Friday’s game to make way for Jose Urquidy, the Astros’ starting pitcher Saturday against the Rangers.
Hinch said he and general manager Jeff Luhnow broke the news to White, who did not play Friday night, following the final out.
“That’s a tough conversation to have, and if I ever get used to that, I probably should try to get a different job,” Hinch said. “Those are emotional for guys and their careers.”
White has struggled at the plate this season, hitting .225 with three home runs and 21 RBIs as a designated hitter and first baseman, and he also saw mop-up duty as a late inning relief pitcher in four games. He had 12 homers and 42 RBIs a year ago.
His struggles at the plate this season, along with the need to add a pitcher for Saturday and the impending return from injury of Aledmys Diaz and Carlos Correa, created a roster squeeze that left no room for him to continue with the Astros.
“We thanked him for what he did (for the Astros),” Hinch said. “From a 33rd-round draft pick to the big leagues to a big splash when he first made the team, to going down and outperforming the minor leagues to coming back and literally carrying us as a DH last season to now being out of a job and out of our team … it’s a brutal conversation.”
White has not commented on the Astros’ decision. The ballclub now has seven days to release White, trade him or place him on waivers.