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Houston Astros fans have long been irritated by right-handed pitcher Forrest Whitley. There was a time when the former first-round pick was the crown jewel of the Astros' farm system, and seemed destined to be a frontline in at the top of the team's starting rotation. Unfortunately, injuries, coupled with a drug suspension in 2018, derailed his progress and after being designated for assignment over the weekend, his future with Houston is on thin ice.
Coming into the 2025 season, Whitley was out of minor-league options and needed to make a noticeable impact in order to keep his spot on the Astros roster. Unfortunately, the injury bug bit Whitley early this season (on more than one occasion) and he struggled mightily upon his return from the injured list.
Astros DFA Forrest Whitley and finally brings closure for everyone
If you are fighting to keep a job in the big leagues after being injured and/or ineffective for most of the last five or six years, posting a 12.27 ERA with an obscenely high walk rate in five appearances isn't going to work in your favor. Unfortunately, that's where Whitley found himself, and with Houston competing at the top of the AL West this season, the Astros simply couldn't afford to keep running him out there on a routine basis.
While the odds are relatively low, this may not be the end of Whitley's tenure with Astros organization. Whitley doesn't have enough service time and has he been outrighted off the roster before, meaning he cannot declare free agency if he clears waivers. If Whitley goes unclaimed — which could happen — Houston can stash him in Triple-A in hopes that he rebounds.
However, this is the time of year when teams throughout MLB become desperate for arms, and while Whitley's command has been garbage, his stuff is still quite good and it's likely to see at least one team submit a claim in an effort to fix him. Given the Astros history, it unlikely Houston will put up much of a fight to keep him.