Astros: 3 ways for Zack Greinke to rejoin the 40-man roster

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Zack Greinke will require a corresponding 40-man move to rejoin the Astros’ roster.

After testing positive for COVID-19, Houston Astros right-hander Zack Greinke was placed on the 10-day injured list due to health and safety protocol on Aug. 31. The right-hander is now slated to start on Tuesday against the Texas Rangers, but he is currently off the 40-man roster.

While moving to the IL due to health and safety, it meant Greinke didn’t count against the 40-man, so the Astros will need to make a corresponding move to add the hurler. The Astros could take a few different routes, but here are three worth exploring.

Return Jose Siri to Triple-A

While being added as a response to a player moved to the IL due to health and safety, Siri can be returned to Triple-A and removed from the 40-man roster without being designated for assignment. Currently, the Astros have six players on their active roster who can mainly play outfield, and that is excluding Marwin Gonzalez.

But now with Michael Brantley experiencing knee discomfort (day-to-day), Siri could stay around for deep outfield depth. The right-hander slashed his first major-league hit on Saturday night, while also picking up his second career stolen base and run.

If he is returned, Siri could still have a role like Myles Straw did in postseasons past, as a pinch-runner this October. The move could be made during the four-day road trip in Arlington, as Siri could be returned to Triple-A but remain on the taxi squad for two days as precaution.

Siri’s possible removal from the 40-man would open an active roster spot as well for Greinke, but if he is not the corresponding move, then Brandon Bielak could be the clear-cut pitcher to be optioned.

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For Zack Greinke’s return, the Astros could move a pitcher to the 60-day IL.

Rafael Montero or Pedro Baez to the 60-day

As discussed before, the ball club has a few possible 60-day IL patients in their pitching room. A few of them will remain on the 40-man roster due to service time limitations, like Forrest Whitley, who just started throwing again, and Jairo Solis.

Now, Montero and Baez are in throwing programs, but how impactful would they be to a postseason roster? Montero proved a lot of us wrong, as he looked to be more than a throw in, but Baez can’t touch anywhere near what his velocity once was. Either pitcher’s transfer would have them out for the remainder of the season and possibly postseason, while they would both require rehab assignments to return.

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An inevitable move would be DFAing either Jacob Wilson or Robel Garcia, but would it happen?

DFA Infield Depth

The Astros have been holding onto Garcia and Wilson in Triple-A for quite sometime now, as Gonzalez’s return looks to be their replacement for the last utility spot. The two have been lackluster to say the least, but do the Astros need their infield depth heading into October?

They won’t be major acquisitions to the ball club’s future, and Taylor Jones is more reliable than the two utility players now. Even with Jones’ 40-man return on the horizon, there will need to be another corresponding move, after the right-hander tested positive for COVID-19. Jones and Jason Castro are set to begin rehab assignments this week.

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After a 4-2 loss on Saturday, the Astros return to action on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. Lance McCullers Jr. looks to battle right-hander Jaime Barria for king of the hill.

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