The Houston Astros claimed left-handed reliever Matt Gage off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. The 30-year-old Siena product made his Major League debut last season, appearing in 11 games and maintaining his prospect status.
Across 13 innings pitched, he sported a 1.38 ERA with 12 strikeouts to his six walks. According to Baseball Savant, Gage’s slider generated whiffs 50% of the time, complementing his cutter that posted a 40.5 Whiff%. Although pitching in a small sample size, the lefty flashed impressive offspeed behind a four-seam fastball that sat around 93 mph.
According to FanGraphs, Gage holds two more years of minor-league options, the same as Blake Taylor and Parker Mushinski — the other two left-handed relievers on the 40-man roster. The addition of Gage filled the 40-man roster with pitchers and catchers expected to report this week.
The Astros will enter spring training with four left-handed reliever options: Gage, Taylor, Mushinski and Austin Davis, a non-roster invitee. With four lefty relievers headed to spring training, only one left-handed starting pitcher, Framber Valdez, will be at Major League camp.
Quick Hits
- Houston assigned No. 68 to right-handed pitcher J.P. France, who joined the 40-man roster November. The Astros protected France from the Major League phase of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft.
- High-A outfielder Kenedy Corona and catcher Miguel Palma traveled Monday to Florida from the Dominican Republic. The two, along with other prospects, worked out at the Astros Dominican Academy ahead of minor-league spring training.
- The Astros assigned right-handed pitchers Rafael Gonzalez and Luis Aguilar to the Dominican Summer League Astros Blue. The pair signed last month, when the 2023 international signing period opened.
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