A few roster moves were expected from the Houston Astros before their series with the Cleveland Guardians began on Tuesday. The reason for the Astros roster shuffle was the team’s decision to call up first base prospect Joey Loperfido. Loperfido figures to be in the mix to take at-bats from veteran Jose Abreu while the struggling Astros look to get more out of first base. To make room on the active roster, the Astros put Grae Kessinger on the 10 day injured list with right shoulder discomfort. The team also designated Joel Kuhnel for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot for Loperfido.
The Astros put Grae Kessinger on the 10-day IL with “right shoulder discomfort” and designated Joel Kuhnel for assignment to clear a roster spot for Joey Loperfido
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) April 30, 2024
Astros Roster Loses Bullpen Arm
It’s possible that Joel Kuhnel passes through waivers and is assigned to Triple-A. However, it could very well be the end of the line in Houston for Kuhnel. The Astros won’t lose much other than innings that have been hard to come by across the league.
Kuhnel is the definition of a fringe reliever on the Astros roster. While he’s found a little bit of success at the Triple-A level with a 3.18 ERA in 11.1 innings, it’s been largely disappointing when he makes it to the big leagues.
All told, he’s thrown 85.2 big-league innings in his career with the Astros and Cincinnati Reds. Over that stretch, he’s had a 6.30 ERA with only 72 strikeouts. The dominance factor for Joel Kuhnel just isn’t there that teams expect coming out of the bullpen nowadays.
Grae Kessinger to the IL
Kessinger, 26, profiles as a utility player at the major league level, especially given his production. After going hitless in 10 plate appearances for the Astros, he’ll hit the IL with right shoulder discomfort.
The one thing the Astros roster loses with Kessinger going down is a bit of versatility. Kessinger is able to play all over the infield, as he did for the Astros in 2023. While the bat isn’t anything special, there is still value in having a utility player who can give days off in multiple positions.
There was some speculation that the club could move on from Jon Singleton. The Astros have struggled mightily with the bat at first base. For now, it seems that the Astros roster will carry Loperfido, Singleton, and Abreu as options over at first base, while Loperfido is able to play a little in the outfield mix that has struggled at times.
