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Astros Activate Zack Greinke

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The Astros have activated Zack Greinke, according to manager Dusty Baker, as relayed by Mark Berman of Fox 26. Right-handed pitcher Brandon Bielak was optioned in a corresponding move.

Today’s game has no meaning for the club in terms of the standings, as they have already clinched both a division title and home-field advantage for their upcoming ALDS matchup with the White Sox. That means they will be free to deploy Greinke in whatever manner they feel best prepares him for his role in that series. Recently, Baker acknowledged the possibility of Greinke being used out of the bullpen during the postseason. This is partially due to the fact that Greinke’s routine has been disrupted by two separate IL stints in recent weeks. He first went on the COVID-related IL August 31st and returned September 14th. However, after making just two starts, he then went on the IL with neck soreness, retroactive to September 19th. Greinke then pitched a rehab outing in the minors on September 30th, throwing just 34 pitches over two innings.

However, even if Greinke were fully stretched out, it could be reasonably argued he is not one of Houston’s top four starters this season, despite his lengthy track record of success. In 168 2/3 innings this year, the 37-year-old (turning 38 on October 21st) has an ERA of 4.11 with a flimsy strikeout rate of 17%, although his walk rate is still superb at 5.2%. That performance seems to put him behind Houston’s other hurlers such as Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy and Jake Odorizzi, for consideration to be in the playoff rotation.

Greinke being healthy and effective would help the club by giving them another option out of the bullpen, but it also has ramifications for Greinke himself, as he is slated to reach free agency after this season. A quality playoff performance, or lack thereof, could impact the amount of interest he garners in the offseason.

Astros Select Jake Meyers, Designate Nivaldo Rodriguez For Assignment

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The Astros announced a number of roster moves today. Phil Maton — acquired yesterday from the Indians — was added to the active roster, while Jake Meyers had his contract selected. To make room on the active roster, Bryan Abreu was optioned to the taxi squad and Brandon Bielak was optioned to Triple-A. To create a spot on the 40-man roster, right-hander Nivaldo Rodriguez was designated for assignment, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26.

Meyers, 25, is the most interesting addition of the bunch here, despite his lack of prospect status and unheralded beginnings as a 13th-round pick. His revelatory play in Triple-A this season seems to be one of the driving factors in Houston’s decision to trade Myles Straw for Maton. It’s certainly not standard operating procedure for a first-place team like the Astros to deal their starting centerfielder for a middle reliever in the middle of a playoff race — especially with Straw being cheap and controllable through 2025.

But Meyers raked in Triple-A, slashing .343/.408/.598 with 16 home runs for the Sugar Land Skeeters. He brings a less extreme version of Straw’s positive approach at the plate, but with the added benefit of some power potential. Meyers has walked at an 8.2 percent clip while striking out just 19.4 percent of the time. He has benefited from a .389 BABIP, and the power marks – .255 ISO, .598 SLG — are way above his career averages prior to this season.

Defensively, he has split his time evenly between all three outfield spots this year. Back in June, Kevin Goldstein of Fangraphs noted that he profiles as an above-average defensive centerfielder, though without Straw’s arm. If his power proves to be for real, Meyers ought to be an upgrade in centerfield, assuming he can outbid Chas McCormick for playing time. The 26-year-old McCormick has a head start on the starter’s job with a 113 wRC+ through 178 plate appearances this season.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, will be left exposed to waivers as a result of Houston’s trade deadline additions. The 24-year-old righty has nine career appearances between this season and last. He logged 16 innings, allowing eight earned runs on 19 hits and 10 walks while serving up five long balls. Given the need for pitching league-wide, there’s certainly a possibility somebody takes a chance on Rodriguez either as a starter or a reliever with multi-inning potential.

AL Notes: White Sox, Astros, Tigers

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White Sox outfielder Adam Engel will be re-evaluated by team doctors tomorrow after straining his right hamstring in spring play today, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). Engel, 29, has a relatively important role on the South Side this season as the fourth outfielder responsible for backing up Eloy Jimenez, Luis Robert, and Adam Eaton. While Engel unequivocally comes in behind those three in the outfield hierarchy, he nevertheless could see significant playing time as the only true reserve outfielder likely to make the roster. Engel had a career year in 2020 with a 122 wRC+ in 93 plate appearances after producing 38 percent below average over his first 1,047 plate appearances. Clearly, the sample size matters, but even if he regresses at the plate, Engel runs well and brings a quality glove to the outfield grass. If he ends up missing time, Leury Garcia would become their top outfield reserve. If Engel is out, that could open up an opportunity for the recently-signed Billy Hamilton or Luis Gonzalez to make the roster. Micker Adolfo, and Blake Rutherford would be the other contenders from the 40-man roster. Adolfo is the only right-handed hitter among that quartet. Elsewhere in the AL…

  • The Astros are unexpectedly trying to fill upwards to forty percent of their rotation for the first few weeks of the season. Framber Valdez’s finger injury led to the signing of Jake Odorizzi, but he won’t be ready by opening day. Cristian Javier is also in doubt for the start of the season. That’s opened a window for Brandon Bielak, who impressed manager Dusty Baker with a 70-pitch outing today, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Bielak worked on getting himself in shape to pitch deeper into games, and it’s showed so far this spring in Baker’s estimation. Bielak made six starts and twelve total appearances in his debut last season. He totaled 32 innings with a 6.75 ERA/7.00 FIP.
  • Top offensive prospects Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene were re-assigned to minor league camp today by the Tigers, per Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Neither Torkelson, 21, nor Greene, 20, were expected to sniff the opening day roster, and both struggled throughout spring training. Still, the 1st and 5th overall selections of the past two drafts, respectively, have bright futures ahead of them in Detroit. Torkelson has yet to make his pro debut in a regular season game, while Greene finished his first pro campaign in Single-A.

Latest On Astros’ Rotation

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The Astros are reshuffling the back end of their rotation, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com relays. Right-hander Josh James will head to the bullpen, while fellow righty Brandon Bielak will slide into their starting staff. Bielak’s first-ever start will come Thursday against the Diamondbacks.

The perennially contending Astros have gotten off to a so-so start this season, and the dominant rotation they boasted last season is no longer intact. Reigning AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander is on the shelf with a forearm injury, and the club lost Gerrit Cole in free agency. Zack Greinke and Lance McCullers Jr. remain in the fold, though neither has prevented runs at a quality clip in 2020. McCullers took a beating at the hands of the D-backs on Wednesday. If you want to take an optimistic approach, though, Greinke’s a longtime ace, McCullers has enjoyed a fine career and shouldn’t be discounted in his return from a Tommy John procedure, Cristian Javier has been one of the best rookies in baseball in the early going, and Framber Valdez was terrific in a win over the Angels last weekend.

Unfortunately for Houston, opposing offenses have battered James so far. The 27-year-old opened the season with two starts and six innings of seven-run ball before the Astros booted him from their rotation. James only yielded four hits in that span, and he struck out nine, but he issued an alarming number of walks (11) and saw his average velocity drop from 97-mph plus to under 96. For at least the time being, James will head back to a relief role for a Houston club dealing with numerous injuries in its bullpen. James worked 61 1/3 innings (49 appearances, one start) last season and logged a 4.70 ERA/3.98 FIP with 14.67 K/9 and 5.14 BB/9.

Bielak, 24, was an 11th-round pick of the Astros in 2017 who ranks as a top 15 Astros prospect at multiple outlets. He has been a useful hurler for the club at the outset of his career, having combined for 5 1/3 frames of one-run ball with six strikeouts and three walks in his first two appearances.

Astros Place Justin Verlander On Injured List, Select Brandon Bielak

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The Astros have placed Justin Verlander on 10-day injured list due to a forearm strain and selected the contract of right-hander Brandon Bielak, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets. Houston has also optioned infielder Taylor Jones to alternate camp and recalled right-hander Nivaldo Rodriguez.

Verlander yesterday publicly denied a report that he’s expected to miss the rest of the 2020 season with the injury, tweeting that he is hopeful rest will heal the current issue and allow him to return. For now, Verlander won’t throw for at least two weeks and will be re-evaluated after that shutdown. In his absence, a once-formidable rotation now looks vulnerable. Lance McCullers Jr. was sharp in his return effort from Tommy John surgery, and veteran Zack Greinke is remains a high-end option. But the options beyond that pair include Framber Valdez, Josh James and several other largely unproven names (Bielak among them).

Bielak, 24, was the Astros’ 11th-round pick back in 2017 and currently ranks in the top half to top third of the team’s 30 best prospects. He split the 2019 season between Double-A and Triple-A, pitching to a combined 4.22 ERA with 8.8 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, 1.0 HR/9 and a 46 percent ground-ball rate. Both MLB.com and FanGraphs label him as a potential fourth/fifth starter in their reports on him, noting that he lacks a true plus pitch but has average across-the-board offerings, a durable frame and history of throwing strikes.

Rodriguez, 23, might not have gotten the call in a normal season, as he’s never pitched above A-ball. However, the Astros are more limited in their choices, so he’ll jump straight to the big leagues on the heels of last year’s 2.40 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 105 frames between Class-A and Class-A Advanced.

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