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Astros Activate Victor Caratini Off Injured List, Send Notable Outfielder To Minors

Originally posted on Houston Astros on SI | By Brad Wakai | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 4:49 PM ET

The Houston Astros are trying to find their top form in the final month of the season.

Manager Joe Espada is confident that's going to happen, stating September is when things are going to click and the Astros become a dominant team again. But that did not occur in their second game of the month, with the New York Yankees coming to town and bludgeoning them by a score of 7-1.

The story coming out of that contest was not what happened on the field, though, with the strange cross-up between Framber Valdez and backup catcher Cesar Salazar dominating headlines in the baseball world.

As the team looks to move past that odd moment, they have made a change to their roster.

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/TjyeNYjplb
— Houston Astros (@astros) September 3, 2025

Victor Caratini has been activated off the seven-day injured list, giving Houston another catching option and switch-hitter to help them in specific matchups; whether that's as a pinch-hitter or in a platoon depending on which handed pitcher is starting on the mound.

What's interesting is the corresponding move of Chas McCormick getting optioned back to Triple-A Sugar Land. The 30-year-old outfielder, who had his breakout season in 2023, has continued to struggled in the big leagues since that campaign.

Dealing with a left oblique strain that kept him out for a month-and-a-half during the beginning of summer, McCormick has been limited to just 66 major league games this year where he has not had an impact when he's been on the field.

What's Chas McCormick's Future With the Astros?

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In 2023, it appeared like McCormick was going to be a staple with Houston for a while. With him finishing the season with a .273/.353/.489 slash line, 22 home runs, 70 RBIs and an OPS+ of 130 -- career highs across the board -- he seemed like an everyday outfielder for this team.

However, his performance cratered the following year, with a right hamstring injury causing him to miss some time and the poor results that followed forcing the Astros to option him down to Triple-A. There was hope that his time in the minors would give him a reset, but that hasn't happened.

McCormick finished 2024 with a slash line of .211/.271/.306 and just five homers and 27 RBIs across 94 games. His OPS+ plummeted to a mark that was 35 points below the league average of 100. And so far this season, he's been even worse with a slash line of .210/.279/.290, one home run, five RBIs and an OPS+ of 59.

Because of that, there's a real chance he is not back with the team in 2026. Cam Smith looks like an everyday outfielder despite his second half struggles. Jesus Sanchez was acquired ahead of the trade deadline and has two more years of club control. And former top prospect Jacob Melton has shown flashes at times when he's been on the field.

With this option back down to the minors, the writing could be on the wall regarding McCormick's tenure ending in Houston.