The Astros made a roster move Friday afternoon ahead of their game against the Athletics. Isaac Paredes was placed on the bereavement list which means he will miss up to three games following a loss in his immediate family. Shay Whitcomb is taking his spot for now.
Whitcomb’s time in the big leagues hasn’t been smooth. Over parts of 2024 and 2025 he played 40 games for Houston and batted just .178/.231/.219. Not impressive on paper but the talent is there. He is a serious power hitter. In the minors Whitcomb has 127 career homers including a 35-homer 102-RBI season in 2023. The strikeouts have been the issue. He has had a 25 percent strikeout rate over the past three seasons. Last year alone he struck out 120 times in 108 games, MLB.
Still he is more than just power. Whitcomb can steal bases too. He swiped 30 in his first minor league season and has averaged around 20 per year since. This season he is off to a hot start in Triple-A hitting .308/.333/.577 with two homers seven RBI and 10 strikeouts in six games. He plays multiple positions and has seen time at second third left first and right field in the minors.
Paredes has mostly been at third base this season so Whitcomb could see time there if needed. Ideally Whitcomb would get called up under different circumstances but this is his shot. Even if it is brief it is a chance to show what he can do and remind everyone why he has been knocking on the big league door for years.