HOUSTON — The Houston Astros are calling up infielder Brice Matthews, multiple league sources told The Athletic on Thursday, putting the former first-round pick in position to make his major-league debut in his hometown.
Matthews, a Houston native who attended high school in a nearby suburb, is expected to join the Astros prior to Friday’s series-opener against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park. MLB.com first reported Matthews’ promotion on Thursday afternoon.
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News of Matthews’ arrival comes one day after Astros center fielder Jake Meyers re-injured his right calf prior to playing in Wednesday’s 4-2 loss against the Cleveland Guardians. Meyers was scheduled to undergo more testing during the team’s off day on Thursday.
Putting Meyers on the injured list is one possibility to clear a roster spot for Matthews, a 23-year-old middle infielder who had been passed over for a promotion thrice already this month.
Before the season, The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Matthews as Houston’s third-best prospect. Both players ahead of him — Cam Smith and Jacob Melton — have already made their major-league debuts this season, making Matthews the team’s top remaining prospect in an otherwise barren farm system.
Matthews slashed .283/.400/.476 across 325 plate appearances at Triple-A Sugar Land. His 30.2 percent strikeout rate and 66.6 percent contact rate is worrisome, but the Astros have few other options for a promotion amid this slew of injuries.
The team optioned Shay Whitcomb to Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday night in advance of Christian Walker’s activation off the paternity list. Whitcomb, who like Matthews is a middle infielder, is the only position player on Houston’s 40-man roster not either in the major leagues or on the injured list.
Matthews cracked MLB Pipeline’s most recent Top 100 prospect list and has stolen 25 bases in Triple A. He totaled just a .598 OPS in 137 plate appearances at Sugar Land’s Constellation Field, but slugged .641 with a 1.077 OPS at away ballparks in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
Those drastic splits, coupled with Matthews’ problems making consistent contact, made Astros officials wary of promoting him earlier this season. Within the past three weeks, Houston called up Whitcomb along with veteran journeymen Luis Guillorme and Zack Short in favor of Matthews, who is still a work in progress defensively at second base.
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“I think he has the potential to be an everyday player and right now, in the position we are in, we just need some versatility, someone that can come off the bench I can plug in,” manager Joe Espada said last week, after the team summoned Short when Guillorme sustained a hamstring strain.
“Right now, the best thing for him is to continue to get at-bats in Triple-A and continue his progress. He’s doing a really good job. I’m really excited about Brice Matthews.”
Meyers’ injury may have forced Houston’s hand. If he does require a trip to the injured list, it stands to reason utilityman Mauricio Dubón could factor more into the team’s outfield picture. Chas McCormick, who has been sidelined since May with an oblique injury, is on a minor-league rehab assignment with Sugar Land and could be nearing a return, too.
Dubón is currently the team’s primary shortstop while Jeremy Peña recovers from a fractured left rib. Matthews played shortstop at Nebraska, but has made 58 of his 64 defensive starts this season at second base, the position Houston envisions for him long term.
Playing Matthews primarily at second base may also allow the Astros to keep Jose Altuve in either left field or at designated hitter. Altuve, who accepted a position change this winter, has made 10 of his past 11 starts at second base, a position the Astros would rather him avoid.
(Top photo: Joe Robbins / Icon Sportswire)
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