Astros: When Gurriel’s Up, Who’s Down?

We are just a few days past the debut of Alex Bregman with the Astros.

Already inquiring minds start to wonder about the roster adjustment that will have to take place when Yulieski Gurriel joins the big league club.

Danny Worth was DFA’ed to make room for Alex Bregman. It’s likely the Astros are hoping Worth clears waivers so he can be sent to Fresno to help the middle-infield depth challenge that has had Tyler White and Colin Moran appearing in recent games at shortstop (White appearing in multiple games there) and Chan Moon going back and forth from Fresno to Corpus Christi like a ping-pong ball. Worth got very little playing time anyway, and if there had been room on the roster for him, he would have gotten even less.

While it’s not a sure thing that Gurriel gets the visa situation straightened out and his needed time in the minors completed before September 1, that is the goal for the team. They hope to have him in Houston, on the field, by the last part of August. If that happens, a corresponding roster move will have to be made. A.J. Hinch has indicated that there is going to be a type of survival of the fittest going on, going forward. Barring a trade before then, let’s look at the possibilities. 

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Who goes?

• Jake Marisnick – Probably the most logical of the possible moves would be to send Marisnick down to Fresno until September 1 and then call him back up.
• Carlos Gomez – If there are no trade takers for Gomez and he’s not improved his game consistently, and you are going to let him walk in free agency anyway . . . is it really a huge deal to let him go a few weeks early?

• Colby Rasmus – It’s no secret the clubhouse favorite and hero of the stretch run last year is struggling. He also is set to be a free agent at the end of the year. This pains me to even suggest as I know how much a part of the fabric of the team he is, but I have to acknowledge reality.
• A bullpen piece – Chris Devenski ? Michael Feliz? Some other arm with options? All of these have to be on the table, though that would place the bullpen short-handed for several days – a bullpen that has gotten used to having eight arms in it.

From a fan’s perspective, the decision is easy to look at the pros and cons of each move. From management, there is a financial component of swallowing a certain amount of dead money with some of these options.

What would you do?