The Houston Astros were in need of a strong right handed bat to balance out their lefty handed heavy lineup, and they found one. Roster moves were made Monday, claiming outfielder Nelson Velazquez off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals. To clear space, infielder/outfielder Shay Whitcomb was designated for assignment.
Houston's outfield has been lefty-heavy: Daulton Varsho, LaMonte Wade Jr., and Taylor Trammell all bat left. Velazquez, a right-handed hitter, helps balance out that lineup.
Let's take a look at the Astros' newest addition:
The 27-year-old righty outfielder has four years in the big leagues under his belt. He made his debut back in May of 2022. He has a pretty strong track record at the plate. Back in 2023 he hit 17 home runs in just 53 games between the Cubs and Royals, a very impressive number and exactly what the Astros need at the plate right now, especially from a righty to shake things up. Defense isn't his strong suit though, he's never really been known for his performance on the field. So this isn't a flashy addition, but his strength at the plate should outweigh his weakness in the outfield.
Taking a look at his 2026 season so far, per MLB:
With the Cardinals: .216/.289/.432, 4 HR in 34 games, but a concerning 30.1% strikeout rate.
Houston notably did not trade for a right-handed bat at the deadline, adding lefty Varsho instead as a rental.
Other righty options that got away: Austin Hays, who signed with the Padres and then crushed a home run against Houston in his first at-bat pinch hitting. So that has to sting. And Rob Refsnyder, released by Seattle and still a free agent.
This waiver claim reads as a lower-cost, lower-commitment way to address that gap after the deadline passed. They needed a right handed bat and they found one, one of their easier problems to solve, so they did.
Nobody's calling this a season-changing move, but it's smart, low-risk depth. Time will tell whether Velazquez actually earns real playing time or ends up more of a matchup bat off the bench. Either way, another addition to look out for as the Astros try to keep this momentum going.
Now, with Varsho and Velazquez, a lefty and a righty, both in the outfield and a more balanced lineup at the plate, you can only assume pitching is next on their to-do list.
