The Houston Astros named Joe Espada as the 20th full-time manager in club history during a press conference with general manager Dana Brown at Minute Maid Park, November 13, 2023. Espada spent the last six seasons as the bench coach for the team before becoming a MLB manager for the first time. Prior to joining the Astros, Espada previously worked for the New York Yankees and the Miami Marlins. He also had two stints as a skipper in the Puerto Rican Winter League.
The Houston Astros are gearing up for a strong push in the final stretch of the regular season as they aim for a postseason spot.
As of Tuesday, the Astros hold a 68-56 record and lead the AL West division by five games over the Seattle Mariners. With 11 wins in their last 12 games, Houston is showing no signs of slowing down.
In an effort to bolster their roster, the Astros claimed veteran outfielder Ben Gamel off waivers from the New York Mets, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. To make room for Gamel on the 40-man roster, Houston placed J.P. France on the 60-day injured list.
Gamel has appeared in 18 games with the Mets this season, hitting .217/.400/.261 without a home run or RBI. Over his career, Gamel has played in 703 major league games, with a batting line of .252/.333/.382, 40 home runs, and 200 RBIs.
The Astros claimed outfielder Ben Gamel off waivers from the Mets. J.P. France goes to the 60-day IL to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 20, 2024
While Gamel may not see significant playing time, he could become a valuable depth piece in the outfield. Quality depth is crucial for teams with postseason aspirations, and Gamel could contribute in a small but meaningful way to the Astros’ goals. It will be interesting to see how much action he gets with Houston.
