The Houston Astros are down a pitcher after right-hander Christian Roa was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins ahead of Houston's series against the New York Yankees.
Roa had recently been designated for assignment by Houston. The 27-year-old appeared in seven games for the Astros this season, posting a 5.19 ERA while providing bullpen depth early in the year, MLB.
Roa will report to Triple-A St. Paul rather than joining Minnesota's active roster, and his departure shrinks an already thin pool of callup options for a Houston staff that can't afford to lose much more depth.
Pitching has been one of Houston's biggest concerns early this season, with injuries and inconsistent outings creating constant pressure on the staff.
A few arms have helped stabilize the rotation and bullpen, including Spencer Arrighetti and Peter Lambert, who delivered key performances to help Houston regain momentum.
The timing of the move doesn't really change Houston's immediate pitching plans, since Roa had already been designated for assignment earlier in the week. Still, it officially removes another depth option from the roster heading into a tough series with New York.
Houston enters the Yankees series at 10-16 and looking to build momentum after taking two of three games from the Cleveland Guardians.
For the Astros, the focus stays the same: get quality starts, avoid leaning too heavily on the bullpen, and try to string together consistent performances as they look to climb back in the AL West standings.