The Astros have chosen the contract of infielder/outfielder Aledmys Díaz, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic on X. In corresponding strikes, they optioned infielder Grae Kessinger and designated infielder David Hensley for task.
Díaz, 33, signed a minor league cope with the Astros simply over every week in the past. He had been with the Athletics since signing a two-year cope with them going into 2023 however struggled primarily from the second that deal was signed. He hit simply .229/.280/.337 with Oakland in 2023 after which spent most of this 12 months on the injured record attributable to groin and calf accidents. He hit .103/.133/.103 in 30 plate appearances earlier than the A’s moved on.
By releasing him, the A’s stay on the hook for what’s left of his $8MM wage this 12 months. Some other membership would solely must pay him the prorated league minimal for any time spent on the roster, with that quantity subtracted from what the A’s pay. The Astros determined to step in by signing Díaz and despatched him to the Advanced League, the place he hit .333/.313/.400 in 4 video games.
The Astros will undoubtedly be hoping that he can put that efficiency with the A’s behind him and return to the shape he confirmed in his earlier stint in Houston. With the Astros from 2019 to 2022, he slashed .255/.313/.424 for a wRC+ of 102 whereas lining up in any respect 4 infield spots and the outfield corners. If he can get again into that ballpark, he generally is a good multi-positional bench piece for the Astros as soon as once more.
Hensley, 28, has been on Houston’s 40-man roster since August of 2022 however has been on non-compulsory task for many of that point. He has 128 main league plate appearances in 46 video games with a line of .177/.273/.274 in these.
He had carried out properly within the minors previous to getting that roster spot however has tailed off since. He slashed .295/.395/.458 within the minors over 2021 and 2022 for a wRC+ of 124. He struck out 22.8% of the time however drew walks at a robust clip of 13.9%. Nonetheless, a .380 batting common on balls in play recommended that efficiency wasn’t fairly sustainable.
Over 2023 and 2024, his BABIP corrected to a extra regular stage of .308 and his line has dropped to .228/.358/.367. His stroll fee elevated to 16.6% within the latter stretch however he’s additionally been punched out 26.3% of the time.
The Astros will now have every week to commerce Hensley or move him by means of waivers. Because the waiver course of takes 48 hours, they’ve 5 days to discover any commerce potentialities. If any membership has curiosity in Hensley as a depth piece, he can nonetheless be optioned for remainder of this 12 months and one extra season. He additionally has lower than a 12 months of service time and due to this fact a few years of membership management. If he have been to move by means of waivers unclaimed, he would keep on with the Astros in a non-roster capability.
