Astros found a post-deadline trade loophole to quietly grab surprise Marlins reliever

The Houston Astros were not only one of the most active teams at the 2025 trade deadline, they were also one of the biggest winners. Checking off nearly all of their biggest needs, the club created buzz with the return of Carlos Correa, brought in a lefty bat that they sorely needed, and filled out the bottom of the depth chart with a useful utility player. All in all, Houston deserves the high grade it received for its deadline wheeling and dealing.

All of the additions, however, were on the offensive side of the ball. While the trade deadline sounds like a hard stop on clubs being able to make swaps, that's not exactly the case, as there are ways to circumvent the moratorium via waivers and other roster manipulations.

Not resting on his laurels, general manager Dana Brown struck again on August 3, swinging a deal for an arm, acquiring left-handed pitcher John Rooney from the Miami Marlins in exchange for cash.

Astros found a post-deadline trade loophole to quietly grab surprise Marlins reliever

Rooney was eligible to be traded because he spent the entire season in the minor leagues and did not spend any time on the Marlins' 40-man roster. While that should give you an idea of the caliber of pitcher he is (the 28-year-old has never appeared in a big league game), he was brought in to fill a 40-man vacancy and has joined the 26-man roster.

How long he'll stay as a member of Houston's bullpen, which ranks third in the league with a 3.36 ERA, is anyone's guess, though he's likely only here until Shawn Dubin is ready to return from his rehab assignment and continue on with his stellar 2025 campaign.

However, this is Rooney's opportunity to make a mark, and no matter how unlikely, potentially claim a spot in the pen for the stretch run.

Here's what you need to know about the southpaw. Selected in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, Rooney began his professional career as a starter, transitioning to relief full-time in 2023. Since then, he's put up some impressive numbers in Triple-A, including a 2.45 ERA for Miami's Triple-A affiliate, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, this season.

Rooney has strikeout stuff, posting a 12.27 K/9 mark on the season, but is also prone to giving up the free pass with a 6.27 BB/9 this year.

This isn't an exciting move, and likely, he's only here for a few games to get a fresh arm, but you have to applaud Brown for being proactive and getting healthy pieces on the pitching staff while the club awaits the return of some of their injured hurlers.

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