The Houston Astros have made a few roster moves ahead of the trade deadline and after. In an attempt to strengthen the outfield and balance out the influx of lefty bats, the Astros now have Daulton Varsho from the Blue Jays, another lefty, but as of Monday they also have Nelson Velazquez from the Cardinals, a righty to balance things out.
Here is a look at the two new additions and who was moved around to make room.
First, Daulton Varsho. The 30-year-old outfielder was acquired from Toronto at the deadline for Spencer Arrighetti. He's currently hitting .235/.302/.668 on the season, a down year at the plate, but he's still an elite defender, a Gold Glove winner back in 2024. His average has been rough, but he did hit his first home run in an Astros jersey on August 9 against the Padres in San Diego, a two-run shot off Randy Vásquez, per MLB. Varsho is up for free agency after this season, so he's a rental, but that home run is a good sign the bat might be starting to come around too.
Most recently, the Astros claimed Nelson Velazquez from the Cardinals. Velazquez is also an outfielder, but he's a right-hander, something the Astros really needed to balance out the lineup. To clear space, infielder/outfielder Shay Whitcomb was designated for assignment. Velazquez may not be known for his performance in the outfield, but he has the power at the plate. He hit 17 home runs in 53 games back in 2023, but it's been a rough 2026 so far. Maybe putting on a new jersey will turn things around for the 27-year-old.
Together, Varsho and Velazquez basically make one solid player. Varsho's the elite defender, Velazquez brings right-handed power at the plate, and both come with real question marks attached.
Varsho hasn't been known for his performance at the plate this year, and while Velazquez has the power, his average and on-base percentage aren't ideal either. And neither is a long-term answer, Varsho's a rental set for free agency after this season, and Velazquez is on a one-year deal himself. Whatever this new-look outfield gives Houston, it's for right now, not the future. That being said, this does fill out their outfield need and balance out their lineup. A temporary fix that could help them keep the 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.
