The Houston Astros optioned right-handed pitchers Forrest Whitley, Shawn Dubin and J.P. France and reassigned right-handed pitcher Joe Record to minor league camp Sunday. The Major League spring training roster is now at 53 players, following these transactions.
Whitley took the mound Saturday in his third appearance of the Grapefruit League. Showing a stronger command of the strike zone, the right-hander recorded eight outs on 57 pitches, 38 being for strikes. Over his three appearances — two starts — Whitley totaled 6.2 innings with five strikeouts, yielding four runs on nine hits, one walk and one hit batsman.
Dubin struggled deep into his spring outings, compounding six total innings over his three appearances. He struck out five batters but allowed 10 runs on 12 hits and three walks. Added to the 40-man roster two winters ago, Dubin is starting his second year of minor league options in 2023.
Throwing to live batters Saturday, France didn’t make an appearance in the Grapefruit League, before the Astros optioned him. The righty is behind other pitchers this spring due an undisclosed injury. Houston added France to the 40-man roster this past offseason, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Record flew under the radar through his first three outings of the Grapefruit League, tossing 3.1 innings of one-run baseball. The non-roster invitee punched out three batters and allowed four hits in his first year at Major League spring training. Record, along with Whitley, Dubin and France, will start the 2023 season in Triple-A Sugar Land.
