Josh Zeid Recalled, LHP Rudy Owens Optioned to AAA

Following the Houston Astros walk-off victory on Thursday night, they announced that LHP Rudy Owens was being sent back down to Oklahoma City. Owens did not make an appearance following his recall in exchange for Paul Clemens last weekend.

The recent stretch of moves regarding Clemens/Zeid/Owens are puzzling. Perhaps there’s the incident from Saturday’s game playing a role in this. Clemens had struggled to throw strikes during his appearance in Minnesota. After eventually walking five batters in the 4th inning, Porter came out to remove him from the game. Clemens refused to look Bo in the eyes and was sent to AAA following that game.

Clemens has a 5.16 ERA through 22 2/3 innings pitched with a walk rate of 4.8 BB/9 in his 11 appearances this season.

When that move happened the team stated the reasoning was to give the Astros a fresh arm out of the pen. But with Owens being a starting pitcher and not a reliever, many people seem to believe Clemens’ antics on Saturday served the primary role.

Josh Zeid has been shuffled between AAA and MLB too much this season. He has a 2.41 ERA with 7 saves for the Redhawks. He has a 2-2 record in 17 games totaling 18 2/3 innings. While pitching for the MLB club, Zeid has appeared in 7 games and 7 total innings. Too small of a sample size to really expect certain numbers from him.

Hopefully he is able to contribute to an Astros team that has really come together recently in all parts of the game. Zeid returns to the majors with a 3.89 career ERA in 34 2/3 innings of work.

The move gives the Astros 3 guys on the 25-man roster that were received from the Philadelphia Phillies in their acquisition of Hunter Pence.