The Houston Astros are making a divisional push in August and they have a few players that may not survive the month on their active roster.
The Astros made the biggest splash of the trade deadline when they dealt away top prospects in order to land the starting pitcher they desperately needed. They added Justin Verlander to anchor their rotation.
But even with Verlander back in Houston, they need to continue to improve their roster past the deadline. This can be done through the farm system and by returning injured players, both potential options for Houston.
With the Astros looking to add players from the injured list and the top of their farm system, some of their major league talent is going to have to be optioned or designated for assignment.
Astros rumors: Grae Kessinger will be the first Astro to be optioned in August
The first Astro that will see his spot taken is the infielder, Grae Kessinger. Kessinger just hasn't been very valuable with Houston this year and he doesn't provide the offensive versatility or talent to contribute to a World Series-level team. To this point, he has just been a defensive substitute that doesn't provide much offensively. With the glove, he has provided versatility across the infield, playing a bit of nearly everywhere.
With the bat, Kessinger is slashing .200/.314/.333 with just two extra-base hits in 30 at-bats. He's worth 0.9 WAR and the Astros should be able to end up with better infield depth down the stretch, whether it comes from their own system or it comes from a player who is released down the stretch.
Kessinger is still young, as he's just 25 years old and playing his first season in the MLB, but the Astros need as much talent that can produce right now as they can get. His time in an Astros uniform is far from over but the reigning champs will be active in their farm system and free agency to replace their infield depth with a more productive hitter.
Astros rumors: Jake Meyers may not have a spot if Michael Brantley returns healthy
Before this idea gets too far, one thing needs to be prefaced. This move can only happen if Michael Brantley returns looking healthy, confident and durable. This is also dependent on when and if Brantley is to make his 2023 debut. He has recently begun taking batting practice on the field, but there's still little information about his return date. Jake Meyers is safe on the Astros lineup and in their outfield while Brantley is on the IL.
With that being said, when and if Brantley is to make his 2023 debut, Jake Meyers seems like the odd man out of the outfield. This would come down to two players, those being Meyers and outfield mate Chas McCormick. On the season, Meyers has fewer home runs and RBIs than McCormick while also having worse numbers across the entire slash line. McCormick also provides better depth as he's played all three outfield spots this year compared to Meyers solely playing in center field.
This decision and potential roster move likely won't upset many Astros fans as it will only happen with the return of Michael Brantley. Brantley has been an All-Star in four of his last five full healthy seasons, with the one exception being the Covid shortened 2020 season that didn't have an All-Star Game. Meyers will likely be a part of the Astros roster after September call ups, but expect his demotion when Brantley is healthy.
Astros rumors: Jose Urquidy has a month to prove himself
Jose Urquidy finally made his return to Houston after spending months on the 60-day IL with shoulder inflammation in his throwing arm. In that return start against the Yankees, Urquidy lasted just 3.1 innings, leaving with the bases loaded. He surrendered three hits and three walks, good for five earned runs in this first start back. This, of course, has raised some alarms in Houston, especially with five starting pitchers ahead of him in the depth chart. Jose Urquidy has this month to prove himself for the future of the 2023 season.
The Astros rotation, as long as it's healthy, is anchored by Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander. J.P France, Christian Javier and Hunter Brown follow that up, which likely wraps up the postseason rotation for the Astros. This leaves the returning Urquidy to prove to the team that he's still the same pitcher that has produced for them in years past if he wants a spot on the roster beyond September.
There is potential that somebody is moved to the bullpen to provide the team with a long reliever, but even then, Brandon Bielack has appeared to be more dependable than Urquidy has this season. This is far from a guarantee because the Astros have a lot of trust in him, but if he doesn't figure it out this month, Jose Urquidy could be optioned to Triple-A.
