Astros place World Series champion on waivers

The Houston Astros made headlines across Major League Baseball on Monday after placing World Series champion Chas McCormick on outright waivers. The move, which also included Luis Garcia, Pedro León, Kenedy Corona, and John Rooney, signals a defining shift in Houston’s roster direction as the franchise moves deeper into its post-dynasty era.

The Athletic’s Chandler Rome took to his official X account (formerly known as Twitter), sharing that the club put several players on waivers following the conclusion of the 2025 MLB season.

“The Astros have placed outfielder Chas McCormick on outright waivers, source tells @TheAthletic, along with John Rooney, Kenedy Corona, Luis Garcia and Pedro León.”

This marks a symbolic moment for Houston, closing a chapter that began with the franchise’s 2022 World Series triumph. McCormick’s iconic leaping grab in Game 5 against Philadelphia remains one of the most memorable plays in club history, but his offensive struggles in 2025 ultimately made him expendable. He appeared in 64 games last season, hitting .210 with 21 hits, one home run, five RBIs, and 13 runs scored — a steep decline from his peak production earlier in the decade.

For general manager Dana Brown, these roster moves go beyond nostalgia. With Alex Bregman now in Boston and Kyle Tucker hitting free agency this winter after spending the 2025 season with the Chicago Cubs, the Astros roster has been stripped of its familiar core. The team missed the postseason in 2025 for the first time in nine years, prompting the front office to prioritize payroll flexibility and long-term control over sentimentality.

The decision also highlights how quickly championship rosters evolve in today’s MLB landscape, where sentiment gives way to strategy and familiar faces often become casualties of front-office recalibration.

McCormick’s departure closes another door from the championship window that defined the Astros’ success for nearly a decade. Once the American League’s powerhouse, Houston now finds itself recalibrating with a younger, more affordable roster built around veterans Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, and Hunter Brown.

It’s a procedural move on paper, but symbolically, waiving a World Series champion like McCormick confirms what many already knew — the dynasty in Houston has finally come to an end.