The Houston Astros have endured a wave of injuries this season and they’ve had to rely on reinforcements to get them to the All-Star Break. Jeremy Peña, Yordan Alvarez and starters Cristian Javier and Luis Garcia are just some of the players that have landed on the injured list this season and it’s left players that wouldn’t normally get the call in key roles.
The changes haven’t hurt the Astros too much as they remain in first place in the American League West. But Houston must be able to adapt if it wants to get to October and make a deep playoff run. It leaves one recent call-up on thin ice ahead of the All-Star break and could leave him getting kicked out of Houston as the MLB trade deadline approaches.
Taylor Trammell on Astros’ Chopping Block Ahead of All-Star Break
The Astros have been a mess in left field this season, and Taylor Trammell is the latest player to take the blame. Houston acquired Trammell as organizational depth in a trade with the New York Yankees last November, but has been thrust into action as Yordan Alvarez suffered a fractured hand and the Jose Altuve experiment in the outfield failed miserably.
A veteran with the Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Yankees, Trammell missed a significant portion of the season due to a right calf strain. The injury kept him out of action until June, when he hit .231/.242/.462 with a home run and five RBI during a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land, but he was recalled to the majors on June 25 amid the Astros’ injury crisis.
In his first 11 games in the majors, the Astros are finding out why the 27-year-old was available last winter. He’s hitting .136/.269/.318 with one homer and four RBI during that stretch and has 10 strikeouts over his first 26 plate appearances. A player that also has a career .165/.270/.360 batter’s line is also unlikely to turn it around, and it could give him a short leash as the trade deadline approaches.
The problem is that Houston doesn’t have a lot of players who can replace him. Altuve has returned to second base and outfielders Chas McCormick and Jacob Melton are currently on the injured list. Kennedy Corona is also a short-term call-up until reinforcements arrive, and it could leave Houston hitting the trade market to find someone who can add some production to the lineup.
It leaves Trammell with a “now or never” situation after exhausting his minor league options, but he could be on track to be designated for assignment if he can’t pick it up.