The Houston Astros made a roster move on Saturday by claiming outfielder Dustin Harris off waivers from the Chicago White Sox. The move came before Houston continued its home series against the St. Louis Cardinals.
After a less-than-ideal start, the Astros seem to be making the necessary adjustments to get back to the competitive team they once were. Can Dustin Harris make up for some of the lacking depth on the Astros roster?
The Astros added outfielder Dustin Harris and cleared a 40-man roster spot by designating pitcher J.P. France for assignment. Pitching has been the biggest struggle for the Astros so far in the 2026 season.
Despite attempting to beef up their pitching staff in the offseason, they have arguably one of the weakest pitching staffs in the league, which raises the question of why they would clear a roster spot by removing a pitcher for an outfielder.
What does Harris have to offer for the Astros?
The 26-year-old outfielder was drafted in the 11th round of the 2019 MLB Draft and has previously played for the Rangers and the White Sox. Harris was once viewed as a promising prospect, and Houston may be betting there is still untapped potential in his game. Here is what he brings statistically, per MLB.
2026 Stats:
- .250 batting average
- 3 hits
- 1 RBI
- 2 runs
- 2 stolen bases
- 6 games played
Career MLB Stats:
- 27 games
- .224 average
- 13 hits
- 2 home runs
- 6 RBI
- 8 runs
- 3 stolen bases
Harris is not a headline star, but he’s the kind of depth move teams make when searching for hidden value.
Despite the fact that they are hurting for strong, consistent pitching more than another outfielder, this remains a low-cost move that gives them roster flexibility.
As of now, the Astros are 8-13, in fourth place in the AL West, 7-4 at home, 1-9 on the road, coming off a 9-4 loss to the Cardinals, and missed the 2025 playoffs. Meanwhile, Houston’s bigger issue remains pitching. Clearly, something needs to change if they don’t want to watch the playoffs from home two years in a row.
The Houston Astros begin a series against the Cleveland Guardians on April 20 in Ohio, and Harris will have the chance to carve out a role with his new team. Whether he becomes a useful depth piece or just a short-term roster stopgap, Houston clearly knows changes are still needed.