Club weighing its options before rosters shrink to 26
TORONTO — Two days before they must shrink their active roster to 26, the Astros still are considering multiple ways to move forward during a grueling stretch of games.
The Astros are carrying a 15-man pitching staff with 13 position players. After owners locked out the players for 99 days and forced a shortened spring training, Major League Baseball allowed teams to carry 28-man rosters through April.
Rosters must shrink to 26 players by Monday, when the Astros are scheduled to open a threegame series against the Mariners at Minute Maid Park.
The league and players association agreed last week to allow teams a maximum of 14 pitchers through May 30, one more than the usual 13.
Manager Dusty Baker did not shed any light on the team’s thinking before Friday night’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Astros already are deploying a six-man rotation and, therefore, are an arm short in the bullpen after having 10 relievers for most of April.
Houston is in the midst of 33 games in 34 days but may not be able to create a pitching surplus. The only two vulnerable position players with minor league options are Niko Goodrum and J.J. Matijevic.
Barring a setback in his minor league rehab assignment, Jose Altuve should be ready to return from the injured list Monday, putting Matijevic in danger of a demotion. If the team options Goodrum, too, it would have a short bench with just one true infielder: utilityman Aledmys Díaz.
Given the long stretch of games and the team’s propensity to give its starters off days during such slogs, it may behoove the Astros to have a deeper bench with more coverage. Goodrum is just 2 for 23 with 11 strikeouts to start the season, but he can provide adequate defense at all four infield positions if needed.
If Houston moves ahead with a four-man bench, it must demote two relievers to the minor leagues. Bryan Abreu, Seth Martinez, Ronel Blanco and Parker Mushinski are the four most expendable arms. The team’s obvious trust in Abreu — and his pure stuff in leverage situations — make him the most unlikely for a minor league reassignment.
Baker always has preferred a bullpen with two lefthanders, perhaps giving Mushinski an advantage over Blanco and Martinez, both righthanders.
Veteran southpaw Adam Morgan has an opt-out date in his minor league contract Saturday, according to a person familiar with the deal. Morgan had to inform the Astros within 24 hours whether he would exercise it.
If Morgan does exercise it, Houston has 24 hours to add him to its 40-man roster or give him his release.
Brantley scratched just before game
The Astros scratched left fielder Michael Brantley from Friday’s starting lineup, citing “health and safety protocols.”
It is unclear what — if anything — ailed Brantley on Friday. For the past three years, the Astros have used “health and safety protocols” to describe anything related to COVID-19. And earlier this month, when Yordan Alvarez fell ill with another ailment and missed time, they listed him as out because of health and safety protocols.
Brantley took pregame batting practice and mingled with many of his teammates past and present. He and former Astro George Springer had a long conversation outside the first base dugout. Alex Bregman and Justin Verlander joined the reunion for a while, too.
The team announced Brantley’s removal from the lineup less than an hour before first pitch. Jose Siri replaced Brantley in the starting lineup and played center field. Chas Mccormick, who was originally in center field, moved to left.