The Houston Astros are in desperate need of pitchers. While any major additions likely won't arrive until closer to the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline in July, the Astros are taking a flier on a former Boston Red Sox prospect, with the hope that he could help their pitching staff soon.
MLB insider Ari Alexander reported that the Astros are signing former Boston Red Sox prospect Jordan Weems to a minor-league deal. Weems was selected by the Red Sox in the third-round of the 2011 MLB Draft as a catcher. After failing behind the dish, Weems transformed himself into a reliever, but his success at the Major League level has been few and far between.
Despite being drafted by the Red Sox in 2011, Weems did not make his Major League debut until 2020, and it was with the Oakland Athletics at the time. To his credit, Weems did post a 3.21 ERA with the Athletics, but it was only a brief 9-game sample.
Jordan Weems is the latest flyer for the Astros' pitching infrastructure
Weems spent the last three seasons with the Washington Nationals, with his best season in the nation's capital coming in 2023 when he posted a 3.62 ERA while pitching out of the Nats' bullpen. Weems wasn't able to repeat that success last season with the Nationals, posting a 6.70 ERA in 41 appearances.
Weems opened the 2025 season with the Atlanta Braves' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 5.09 ERA in 14 appearances. Weems was released by the Braves last month.
Given that the trade market is still being defined, adding a pitcher such as Weems is the type of move that Astros fans can expect before the flurry of deals at the deadline in July. The Astros' pitching infrastructure has proven to turn reclamation projects into success stories, so Weems could be a pitcher to keep an eye on during the later months of the season.
The addition of Weems notwithstanding, there is an expectation that the Astros will add to their starting rotation before the deadline next month. The Astros are down several starters from their rotation and will need to make a move to provide stability to a much-needed area of weakness.
