| News |
|---|
|
Yainer Diaz Yainer Diaz Receiving Tuesday off
Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 4:56 PM
Diaz is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Diaz will take a seat Tuesday after starting five of the previous six games and going 4-for-18 with two homers and five RBI during that span. Christian Vazquez is starting behind the plate and batting ninth for Houston. |
|
Bennett Sousa Bennett Sousa Starts up rehab assignment
Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 4:29 PM
Sousa (elbow) struck out one over a scoreless inning in a rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A Sugar Land.
Analysis: Sousa has been on the injured list since May 9 due to left elbow inflammation and will likely need to make multiple rehab appearances before the Astros are comfortable activating him. Before hitting the shelf, the southpaw reliever posted an 8.10 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in 3.1 innings over five appearances for Houston. |
|
Hayden Wesneski Hayden Wesneski Hits four frames in rehab start
Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 3:23 PM
Wesneski (elbow) struck out three and allowed one earned run on two hits and one walk across four innings Sunday in a rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi. He also hit a batter and threw two wild pitches.
Analysis: After tossing three shutout innings in his first rehab start in the rookie-level Florida Complex League on June 30, Wesneski jumped up a few rungs on the minor-league ladder for his second outing. Wesneski -- who is on the comeback trail after undergoing Tommy John surgery last May -- built up to 46 pitches (29 strikes) in Sunday's appearance, generating seven whiffs along the way. The right-hander will likely need to make two or three more rehab starts before coming off the 60-day injured list, but he may not have a rotation spot with the big club waiting for him once he's activated. |
|
Jason Alexander Jason Alexander Shelved at Triple-A
Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 3:16 PM
Triple-A Sugar Land placed Alexander on its 7-day injured list June 17 due to an unspecified injury.
Analysis: After the Astros optioned Alexander to Triple-A on May 27, the right-hander made two starts before landing on the shelf. He'll likely remain out through the All-Star break, though an official timeline for his return to the Sugar Land rotation has yet to be established. Alexander owns a 5.32 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across 44 innings at Triple-A this season. |
|
Alimber Santa Alimber Santa Up in majors
Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 2:49 PM
The Astros recalled Santa from Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: It's a well-deserved return to the big leagues for Santa, who posted a 0.71 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 8:5 K:BB across 12.2 frames in his first taste of the majors earlier this year. He should fill a low-leverage relief role while up with Houston. |
|
Mike Burrows Mike Burrows Demoted to Triple-A
Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 2:37 PM
The Astros optioned Burrows to Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Burrows tied a season worst with seven earned runs allowed Monday against the Nationals, giving him a 6.84 ERA and 5.9 K/9 across his past 10 appearances. The right-hander was acquired from the Pirates during the offseason after posting a 3.94 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 97:31 K:BB over 96 innings during 2025, but he'll likely need to get back on track at Sugar Land before getting another look in the Astros' rotation. |
|
Jose Altuve Jose Altuve Homers Monday
Tue, Jul 7, 2026, 7:14 AM
Altuve went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run in Monday's 12-11 loss to the Nationals.
Analysis: Altuve put the Astros ahead 4-1in the second inning with a three-run, two-out blast off Miles Mikolas. It's Altuve's ninth long ball this season and his first since June 19. The veteran second baseman has gone 4-for-11 with three extra-base hits in his last three games following a 4-for-31 (.129) slump across his prior eight contests. Overall, Altuve is slashing .235/.312/.394 with 42 runs scored, 25 RBI and two stolen bases across 296 plate appearances this year. |
|
Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Kicking off rehab Tuesday
Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 3:59 PM
Pena (calf) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Pena is less than a week removed from landing on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain, but he's ready to test things out in a game setting. The expectation is that Pena will play a couple rehab contests before being activated from the IL on Friday when he's first eligible. |
|
Taylor Trammell Taylor Trammell Taking seat Monday
Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 2:53 PM
Trammell is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Trammell will head to the bench after he went 4-for-21 with a home run, two walks, two RBI and three runs while starting in the Astros' last seven games. Brice Matthews will replace Trammell in center field and will bat ninth. |
|
Raynel Delgado Raynel Delgado Heading to Triple-A
Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 2:47 PM
The Astros optioned Delgado (finger) to Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Delgado will give up his spot on the 26-man active roster to fellow infielder Braden Shewmake (adductor), who was reinstated from the 10-day injured list. During his latest stint in the big leagues, Delgado appeared in appeared in three games and went 1-for-5 with a double, a walk and a run. Delgado exited early in a start during last Wednesday's loss to the Twins due to dislocated pinkie finger on his right hand, but he made a pinch-hitting appearance and played an inning at shortstop in Friday's loss to the Rays and should be ready to handle an everyday role at Sugar Land. |
|
LaMonte Wade Jr. LaMonte Wade Jr. Drawing third straight start
Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 2:43 PM
Wade will start in left field and bat fifth in Monday's game against the Nationals, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Wade will pick up a third straight start in left field, despite going 0-for-6 with three strikeouts over the final two games of the Astros' weekend series versus the Rays. After the Astros sent Joey Loperfido back to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Wade looks like he'll have an opportunity to solidify himself as a strong-side platoon player in the Houston outfield. |
|
Braden Shewmake Braden Shewmake Activated, will start Monday
Mon, Jul 6, 2026, 2:40 PM
The Astros reinstated Shewmake (adductor) from the 10-day injured list Monday, and he'll start at shortstop and bat eighth in the team's series opener in Washington, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Shewmake is back with Houston after a right adductor strain kept him on the shelf for just over a month. The 28-year-old completed a four-game rehab assignment between the rookie-level Florida Complex League and Triple-A Sugar Land over the past week, going 3-for-11 with two doubles, three walks and one stolen base. Shewmake could temporarily supplant Nick Allen as the Astros' preferred option at shortstop, though both will be relegated to bench roles when Jeremy Pena (calf) likely makes his return from the IL later this week. |
|
Nick Allen Nick Allen Handling regular role at shortstop
Sun, Jul 5, 2026, 2:11 PM
Allen will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Sunday's game against the Rays.
Analysis: Since coming off the 10-day injured list Monday, Allen has drawn starts in five of Houston's ensuing six games while going 3-for-14 with a double, two walks, two runs and one RBI. Per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, Astros manager Joe Espada said prior to Sunday's game that he anticipates top shortstop Jeremy Pena (calf) returning from the IL as soon as next Friday, so Allen's run as a regular in the lineup will soon come to an end. |
|
Yainer Diaz Yainer Diaz Receiving breather Sunday
Sun, Jul 5, 2026, 2:08 PM
Diaz is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rays.
Analysis: He'll rest up for the series finale after logging starts behind the plate in each of the Astros' previous four games. Christian Vazquez will serve as Houston's catcher Sunday. |
|
Jeremy Pena Jeremy Pena Could return next weekend
Sun, Jul 5, 2026, 12:40 PM
Pena (calf) is expected to play in a couple of rehab games at Triple-A Sugar Land this week could return from the 10-day injured list during the Astros' final series before the All-Star break next weekend against the Rangers, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: The veteran shortstop landed on the shelf last Tuesday due to a calf strain, but his absence looks like it will end up being a brief one. Pena was swinging a hot bat prior to getting hurt, having gone 8-for-21 with two walks, three RBI and five runs in his last five games. |
|
Yordan Alvarez Yordan Alvarez Six RBI in two-homer game
Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 10:03 PM
Alvarez went 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI in Saturday's 10-8 win over the Rays.
Analysis: Alvarez bookended Saturday in dramatic fashion, first launching a first-inning solo shot and later blasting a walk-off two run jack in the ninth frame. The All-Star slugger now has a trio of three-hit games in his past four outings and four multi-homer efforts on the year. Through 388 plate appearances, Alvarez is slashing a robust .324/.433/.645 with 29 long balls, 16 doubles and 67 RBI. |
|
Hunter Brown Hunter Brown Peppered for seven runs
Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 9:48 PM
Brown took a no-decision Saturday against the Rays, allowing seven runs on six hits and four walks in four innings. He struck out three.
Analysis: The Tampa Bay bats took it to Brown on Saturday early and often, tagging the hurler for at least one run in each of the first four innings. It was perhaps the worst outing of 2026 for the 27-year-old right-hander, who posted season highs in both runs and hits allowed while fanning a season-low three. Brown will try to get back on track his next time out in Texas, where he'll take a 3.68 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 35:17 K:BB over 29.1 innings. |
|
Christian Roa Christian Roa Gets minor-league deal with Houston
Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 7:18 PM
The Astros signed Roa to a minor-league contract Friday and assigned him to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
Analysis: Roa elected to enter free agency after being designated for assignment by the Cubs on June 24. He'll catch on with the Astros' organization for the second time this season after inking a minor-league deal with the team in early January before being DFA'd in late April. All seven of Roa's major-league outings came out of Houston's bullpen, but he has spent the majority of the 2026 season in Triple-A, where he has a 9.39 ERA, 2.02 WHIP and 23:10 K:BB across 15.1 innings. |
|
Joey Loperfido Joey Loperfido Optioned to Triple-A
Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 2:22 PM
Houston optioned Loperfido to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday.
Analysis: Both Loperfido and Jake Meyers have been sent down to Triple-A, moves that correspond with the Astros recalling Zach Dezenzo from Sugar Land and reinstating LaMonte Wade (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list. With Loperfido no longer on the 26-man roster, that opens up more reps in the outfield for Wade, Dezenzo and Brice Matthews. Loperfido has a .647 OPS with one steal, 12 RBI and nine extra-base hits across 119 plate appearances in the majors this season. |
|
Jake Meyers Jake Meyers Sent down to Triple-A
Sat, Jul 4, 2026, 2:20 PM
The Astros optioned Meyers to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday.
Analysis: Meyers was losing out on playing time to both Taylor Trammell and Brice Matthews, so Matthews will head to Triple-A, where he will serve in an everyday role in the outfield. He has a .580 OPS with one steal, three home runs and 11 RBI across 148 major-league plate appearances this season. |
Connect With Us:
