Houston Astros: Tyler White’s MLB career will continue despite roster cut

Houston Astros DH Tyler White has been DFA’d, meaning that his career ends with this team. But his career is far from over. Why? Let’s take a look.

It has been a little over a week and the Houston Astros are back at it from the All-Star Break, trying to make inroads of ensuring its candidacy of being a championship contender remains intact.

There’s no question that there have been challenges — as with any typical season — but the way this team has remained resilient goes to show how well-built it is from top to bottom.

Last Monday and Tuesday of last week were likely the most challenging of any series of games this season as AJ Hinch, Jeff Luhnow and Brent Strom had to figure how the stitch together a pitching rotation with their resources after word came down of Brad Peacock‘s recurring shoulder injury at the last minute.

The team quickly scrambled, started Josh James and Hector Rondon on respective days but Framber Valdez allowed four earned runs Monday which ultimately put a death knell in the team’s chances of being able to win Monday.  Rondon also allowed six earned runs Tuesday so although they didn’t get the result they wanted — a 9-6 loss Monday and a 7-2 loss Tuesday — they made it and they’ve bounced back wonderfully, winning the past three games.

It goes to show what a difference having a reliable starting pitcher is when you’re trying to ensure that you’re on the right side of the scoreboard.

Things are getting dicey again and now the team is giving Jose Urquidy another shot to start in tonight’s game because the team currently does not have No. 4 or No. 5 starter with Peacock’s absence.

Luhnow’s working on that but they’ll have to press on as the trade deadline is still 11 days away.

But to call up Urquidy, the Houston Astros made a move that we all had likely envisioned — giving Tyler White his walking papers.

White was designated for assignment last night and the 28-year-old had been batting .225/.320/.330 which, quite frankly, isn’t good enough if you don’t want to be the weakest link on this team.

He’s made plays all season — always at the right moment — but it’s the more ungraceful ones that have been the outlier to his season with the Houston Astros.

His strikeout rate is way up from 2016 when he was first called up as a Triple-A phenom from Fresno, having 74 of those through 218 at-bats, on track to more than double what he notched last season and light-years ahead of previous seasons.

Did pitchers finally figure him out?

That question is up for debate but as a pick from the 33rd round in the 2013 MLB Draft, you damn well better believe he was living his best life with the Houston Astros, finally realizing the fruits of his labor.

But I think his career is far from over.  The Houston Astros will have a week to try to trade him,

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place him on irrevocable outright waivers or to release him from the team.

I think White could be part of trade package as a throw-in because I think he does have some valuable tools to help any major league team out there.  If the Houston Astros can’t get a deal done in time, it would be best to put him on waivers.

I do think he’ll get picked up because teams obviously know that his history with such a world-class organization as the Houston Astros and there’s going to be a hitting coach that feels that they can “fix” his woes at the plate.

So hold that thought about him dropping off the face of the Earth, he’s still got legacy to fulfill and I think his epilogue is far from being on approach.

Whatever happens, White has a World Series championship ring, accentuated with memories and NOBODY can take that away from him.

I’d like to wish Tyler the best of luck — wherever he ends up and let’s go Houston Astros!