The Angels announced that they have traded infielder/outfielder Trey Cabbage, who was recently designated for assignment, to the Astros. In exchange, the Angels will receive minor league right-hander Carlos Espinosa. The Astros designated right-hander Declan Cronin for assignment to open a roster spot for Cabbage, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2.
Cabbage, 27 in May, made his major league debut with the Angels last year, making 56 plate appearances in 22 games. He hit just .208/.232/.321 in that time, pairing a 3.6% walk rate with a 46.4% strikeout rate.
But his minor league results have naturally been much better. In 107 Triple-A games, he hit 30 home runs last year. His 30% strikeout rate was still on the high side but his 9.5% walk rate was strong. Even in the hitter-friendly environs of the Pacific Coast League, his .306/.379/.596 batting line still led to a wRC+ of 128. On top of that, he stole 32 bases in 35 attempts while lining up at first base and all three outfield spots.
“If we could somehow get a left-handed bat, preferably an outfielder with some speed, that type of package we’ll pounce on it.” Those were the words of Astros general manager Dana Brown last week, after the club signed Josh Hader. Cabbage doesn’t have any major league success yet but he ticks those boxes for Houston, as he does indeed hit from the left side.
The Astros have lefties Yordan Álvarez and Kyle Tucker set for regular action, but the rest of their lineup skews right-handed. That includes outfielders Chas McCormick and Jake Meyers, as well as depth option Corey Julks and utility player Mauricio Dubón. If Cabbage can have his major league offense make progress towards what he’s done in the minors, he could be a nice complement to the club’s current roster. He still has two options and doesn’t need to be on the active roster right away.
In order to add Cabbage to the organization, the Astros have removed Cronin from their 40-man. The 26-year-old was just claimed off waivers from the White Sox a few weeks ago. Similar to Cabbage, he just made his major league debut in 2023 with uninspiring results. He tossed 11 innings for the Sox, allowing 11 earned runs in that time.
But also like Cabbage, his work in the minors was more impressive. He tossed 51 2/3 Triple-A innings last year, allowing 3.83 earned runs per nine. His 18.7% strikeout rate was subpar but his 54.5% ground ball rate was very strong. That’s been a hallmark of his career, as he’s kept more than half of balls in play on the ground at every level of the minor leagues and in that brief major league debut as well.
The Astros will now have a week to trade Cronin or pass him through waivers. He still has a full slate of options and limited service time, which could help him appeal to a club in search of some bullpen depth and roster flexibility.
As for the Angels, they nudged Cabbage off their roster a few days ago when they signed Matt Moore, but they were able to salvage some value from him by sending him across the division in exchange for Espinosa. The 22-year-old Cuban has limited experience in affiliated ball, having only played in the Complex League and Single-A. He has thrown 84 1/3 innings at those levels with a 3.74 ERA, 27% strikeout rate and 9.9% walk rate.
Eric Longenhagen and Tess Taruskin of FanGraphs gave Espinosa a brief mention on last year’s list of Houston’s top prospects. They noted that the righty was throwing in the mid-90s, while also featuring a slider and a changeup.
Lettuce know when the Angels produce ahead of Cabbage’s performance with this trade..
Not bad.
I came here for puns only
Angels showed him how the cow ate the cabbage
Could I order some coleslaw?
Are the Angels up for sale yet?
Mmmmm Krispy Kreme Doh!
Cabbage will get shredded during Spring Training. He will have a beef and lose his head on St. Patrick’s Day. Corny?
I’m a Cabbage Hader
Where’s the beef…
We need all need a meat and greet
Houston had a problem…but saved by Cole’s Law
Treys mother’s side of the family have the last name of Patch.
The family lot are basically Cabbage Patch Kids.
As a Rangers fan, I’m disappointed that the Astros traded for Cabbage. Lettuce hope he doesn’t spinach time mache-ing Rangers pitching this season. I’m beyond tired of the Astros, endive gotten comfortable with the idea of a power shift in the West. I guess we’ll just have turnip the intensity in 2024.
I’d be content to kohlrabi Ross back to the big leagues just to hit him every at-bat and dare him to chard the mound.
George’s grandma approves.
As long as he eats his cabbage, he will be great.
10/10 lastname
Wow. Angels got something back for Cabbage? Kinda surprised. Hey, anything is better than nothing?
A lot better than a sack of potatoes.
When life gives you a sack of potatoes, make fries!
When life gives you cabbage, make coleslaw.
I disagree. At this point, a sack of potatoes might be the only thing that Rendon could still mash.
I’m biased, prefer lettuce, but a sack of potatoes is gold!
Especially when they’re yukon.
Hopefully not iceberg
The Angels are going to regret this. He had potential to be an MVP caliber player… for the Rocket City Trash Pandas
He actually is extremely underrated.
Like sauerkraut or kimchi
All I ever get for cabbage is gas.
Maybe it’ll turn into a nice little Angels robbery of the Astros again, like when they turned Martin Maldonado into Patrick Sandoval.
Probably be a few years until we see that possibility. He’s 23 and his stats dont scream lights out, but who knows.
Except Sandoval is a AAAA starter and Maldonado won titles. Wonder who got robbed again?
The astros because they acquired him from the angels twice, and Sandoval is still in the league. He actually had a sub 3 era two years ago, and regressed last year but I would blame wise on that, with his pitching script crap.
“Maldonado won titles” lmao cmon be serious kid. Maldonado *rode along* on a title contending team. It was nice *for him* but the Astros didn’t trade for Maldonado to do him a favor.
And Sandoval had a mediocre season last year, still positive bWAR, after back to back years of being a very solid #3 starter. He’s not “AAAA.” you’re being ridiculous.
Woo Suk Go or Trey Cabbage. There can only be one.
Trey Suk Go is a new popular app…to parents’ dismay.
“Woo cabbage!”was part of a jingle vegans hoped would go viral on social media.
Good to see the Astros get a head, but hate to see him leaf!
Deserves more upvotes
He’s a little Green, but he’s baseball Savoy. I doubt the Coneheads will like this move but I think it’s Deadon. He’ll be throwing in Cannonballs – after all he’s a Ballhead.
Huh?
You have to have an article about a Cabbage transaction.
It’s s’law..
I laughed out loud at that one. Prettay, prettay good!
Double Pun Score
Reading this article made me wonder if Kale Calhoun is on an MLB roster.
the Astros got this guy to haul luggage and drive the bus.
Cabbage is going to have to grow in season to maintain a place in the Astros farm. He can’t just wilt when the heat comes, he has to stay crisp. It is good to see the Astros get a fresh arm, looks like their putting everything on the table.
I thought he was a pitcher. Well he better hit the ball on the head and be okay in the field.
He married a girl from Belgium. They have a couple of Brussel sprouts.
Let’s name the baby Trey. He already has to live with Cabbage.
Darn it! I was hoping he’d get traded for cash. That’d way it’d be a cabbage for cabbage even swap
Why in the world would the Halos trade Cabbage to a division rival? Now say this guy breaks thru and becomes a star, or even a productive Major Leaguer. Send to a non-rival, say an NL team, okay, so then that becomes a bad deal. But to a division rival it’s major egg on your face. Not to mention, you are helping the Stros. I have doubts that Minasian got anything worth that kind of minor league production in return. Dumb. Just Dumb. But that is what I expect from the Halos these days.
Angels are closer to cellar dwellers than a division rival for the Astros.
Cellar Dwellers? In the last 20 years the Astros have finished in last place much more than the Halos. I think you’re not remembering those powerhouse “Stros teams of the late 00’s-early teens? You know, the ones led by those “killer B’s” Bourn, Barmes, and Brett Myers and finished like 48 games out of first?!? you probably werent a fan during those years huh? too busy cheering on the Skeeters i bet
From a Houston perspective,Cabbage isn’t expected to be a star. Rather, a controllable depth piece in case the Singleton and Loperfido options don’t ideally pan out. Brown clearly wasn’t high on Espinosa. Perhaps the farm was just bare of prospect arms for LAA.
Why settle for a head of cabbage, when you can have the whole Trey?
Happy trails, Trey.
Dude is really fast for a big man.
Heard he will be flipped for Lettuce Thompson the knuckleballer from Reno
That’s one way for Cabbage to get to the playoffs.
Doesn’t the kimchi have a say in all of this
Can’t have no Chow-Chow without cabbage.
All they need to do is sign michael weiner to go with trey cabbage
In the minors he was a heady player in Napa. Quite a cutup too, to take a leaf from the comments book.
Sadly, I spent all my puns in the last epic Cabbage thread
It’s pronounced kay-bij
Wished he was in the league as Mike Cubbage
*at same time as Mike Cubbage
Picked right off the farm!
Lettuce called, he said he wanted his salad back.
Angels prepared to spend some Cabbage this Off-season. !
I’ve heard of hockey players who were only worth a bucket of pucks, now we have a baseball player who is apparently only worth a Trey of Cabbage.
No one takes a Cabbage any more – rather an Uberage.
Should at least get a can of corn for Trey Cabbage.
Brown must have thought the tools were worth a flyer. Enticing power, speed and position versatility but a lot of swing and miss. Gave up a good pitching prospect to get him. Gives the Stros more depth.
You know cabbage is raw when the position says IF/OF. They are leading the salad all star team. Next up Tim Blue Cheese and Tommy Carrot.