The Astros plan to release outfielder Steven Souza Jr., who has been in camp with them on a minor league deal, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Souza has been vying for the fourth outfielder’s role alongside Jose Siri, Ronnie Dawson and Chas McCormick, but it seems his spring struggles have pushed the team in another direction.
Souza, 31, is 2-for-21 with a homer thus far in Spring Training. He’s drawn five walks and been hit by a pitch in 27 trips to the plate but has also punched out an alarming 13 times in that tiny sample of plate appearances.
Souza’s last full season at the MLB level was quite productive, but it also came back in 2017. He slashed .239/.351/.459 with 30 home runs for the Rays that year, prompting the D-backs to swing a trade for him in the offseason. But a pectoral injury limited his time on the field and productivity in 2018, and his 2019 season was wiped out by one of the most catastrophic knee injuries we’ve seen recent memory; Souza suffered tears of his ACL and LCL in play at the plate that also left him with a partial PCL tear and a posterolateral capsule tear. He returned to the big leagues with the Cubs last year but struggled through 31 plate appearances before being cut loose.
The Astros entered the winter with an entire outfield’s worth of free agents, as George Springer, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick all hit the market. Springer went to Toronto, Brantley re-signed in Houston, and Reddick remains unsigned. With Brantley back in the fold, the ’Stros are looking at him in left field, Kyle Tucker in right field and speedster Myles Straw as the primary center fielder. McCormick is the likeliest option to break camp as the team’s fourth outfielder, given his ability to play center field and given that he’s the only player in that competition who is already on the team’s 40-man roster.
Id like to see Siri grab that job after all the moving around he’s had to do since his Reds tenure
It’s just a voice, dude.
A useless voice, at that
If u think siri is useless, u dont use it correctly
I tend to agree. I think he’s performed the best of the 4. The one issue is he isn’t on the 40-man. Someone will have to be cut loose to keep him. McCormick is on the 40 though so keeping him and sending Siri to Sugarland is the easier move.
they could put Valdez on the 60 day.
Hard to believe just 4 years ago Souza clubbed 30 homers and looked like a decent MLB player. Another guy done in by injuries.
I will always remember SS Jr. for his perfect game saving catch during Jordan Zimmermann’s perfect game.
Agree. That was phenomenal.
Watching Souza w the Cubs last year, this release doesn’t surprise me at all.
Sounds like Souza should try to go to the KBO or NPB.
I don’t think he will make it there either. Not every former MLB player makes it overseas.
Wow what happened to this guy? He was so good for the Rays in 2017. He should passed his injuries by now? After missing so much time maybe needs some work in AAA to work on his timing.
the injuries have been repetitive it seems
His knee is wiped out. You just can’t hit if you don’t have your knee to bend and twist as you need to
Free Reddick
It would be a bit of a no-brainer not to try to re-sign Reddick as a 4th outfielder. His glove is still top-shelf, even though his offensive skills have fallen off. He’d obviously need to take a massive pay cut, but at this juncture you could probably snag him for close to the MLB-minimum.
Souza’s alarming strikeout rate this spring is pretty much on par for his career.
Finished
Let’s remember that he was the price for the Nats acquiring Trea Turner. Rizzo is a great GM. And I’m a Mets fan.