Astros Claim Jorge Barrosa

The Astros announced that outfielder Jorge Barrosa has been claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks.  In corresponding moves for the 28-man and 40-man rosters, Houston optioned outfielder Jake Meyers to Triple-A and moved right-hander Mike Burrows from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

The D’Backs designated Barrosa for assignment two days ago, and the waiver claim officially ends Barrosa’s 11-plus years in the Arizona organization.  He signed with the D’Backs as an international free agent in 2017, and he has hit .180/.241/.302 over 254 plate appearances since making his MLB debut in 2024.  The bulk of Barrosa’s playing time has come this season, as he has 159 PA over 97 games while covering for multiple injuries in Arizona’s outfield mix.

Barrosa has experience at all three outfield positions and has been used mostly as a center fielder, with the public defensive metrics giving him plus marks.  He hasn’t delivered much from either side of the plate over his career, but Barrosa has done decently well against left-handed pitching this year, hitting .244/.364/.422 over 57 PA against southpaws.

Outfield production has continued to be an issue for the Astros, as trade deadline addition Daulton Varsho has struggled since joining the team.  Barrosa doesn’t project to be a real solution, but he’ll join Varsho, LaMonte Wade Jr., Cam Smith, Taylor Trammell, Nelson Velazquez, and (every once in a while) Yordan Alvarez in the patchwork outfield mix.  Barrosa is out of minor league options, so he’d have to be designated for assignment again if Houston wanted to remove him from the active roster.

Burrows has been on the 15-day IL since July 7, so he has already missed the equivalent of a 60-day IL stint.  Initially sidelined due to right elbow neuritis, Burrows threw three minor league rehab outings but then developed some right shoulder inflammation, as Astros manager Joe Espada told the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara and other reporters earlier this week.

Burrows is expected to be re-examined at the Astros’ Spring Training facility soon, and that should provide a better idea of a recovery timeline, if any is possible before the season ends.  Acquired from the Pirates last offseason, Burrows has struggled to a 5.99 ERA over 94 2/3 innings in his first year in Houston.