Seven Astros Players You May Have Forgotten Made the Opening Day Roster in 2022

With Opening Day only a week away, roster projections and who may or may not make the team is the talk of the Astros fanbase.

A couple of injuries have allowed for some players to push their way onto the Opening Day roster that may not have made it otherwise, and allowed for others that may not be so deserving to have saved a spot.

Let's look at seven players you may have forgotten made the Opening Day roster last season, If nothing else, let this be an assurance that some of the lesser valuable players may not be with the club once the playoffs role around.

First up...a player that has played his way onto the 2023 Opening Day roster.

Ronel Blanco

Ronel Blanco has generated headlines after his dominant showing in the Dominican Winter League and his phenomenal Spring Training. Blanco is being stretched out as a potential spot starter this year, and is well deserving of a roster spot.

He was barely a blip on the radar last season, so it is easy to forget he was on the initial 26-man roster last season. Blanco appeared in only seven games, posting a -0.2 bWAR and a 7.11 ERA with a 1.90 WHIP. He didn't last long and spent the rest of the season in Sugar Land. Let's hope his stint this year is a permanent one and that he continues to build on the progress he has made.

Niko Goodrum

Nike Goodrum's performance on the field sure wasn't memorable for any of the right reasons, and if you've forgotten he was with the Astros, it's likely as a result of blocking him out of your memory.

Goodrum played only 15 games in Houston and managed to rack up a -0.3bWAR. He was supposed to be a utility player, but quickly played his way off the roster. He picked up only five hits in 43 at-bats, recording a woeful .116 average and .156 OBP. His OPS was .318 and he recorded the first negative OPS+ I've ever seen: -9.

For his career, Goodrum is terrible from the left side against righties, but the switch hitter has enjoyed some success from the right side against lefties. He only took seven at-bats against lefties in 2022. He didn't do much to justify anymore.

Pedro Báez

Another player that you've likely blocked out of your memory, Pedro Báez signed a two-year deal with the Astros and made a grand total of seven appearances, posting a 5.40 ERA in only 6.2 innings of work.

His first season was derailed after a bout with COVID and a shoulder injury, and after some significantly diminished velocity, he was let go by the Astros in April and replaced with Seth Martinez.

Martinez pitched his way into a stabilizing weapon in the bullpen that Houston had imagined they'd be getting when they landed Báez, who had recorded a 3.03 ERA. With the new pitch clock rules, it may be a good thing the reliever known as "The Human Rain Delay" is no longer in Houston.

Blake Taylor

Another reliever that broke camp with the big-league club, Blake Taylor wasn't around for much of the 2022 season, throwing only 16 innings. His short stint wasn't performance-based, but he suffered an elbow injury that did end up hindering his command and eventually ended his season.

In his 16 innings of work, Taylor walked 10 batters. He recorded a 3.94 ERA and 1.56 WHIP, both well above his previous career averages of a 2.84 ERA and 1.34 WHIP.

Unlike the other names on this list, Taylor will likely make his way back onto the Astros roster at some point. His manager loves lefty relievers, and while maybe not as a leverage arm, Taylor has proven himself to be an innings eater that can get lefties out with consistency.

Jake Odorizzi

It's safe to assume Astros fans will be much happier to see Jake Odorizzi pitching to their lineup rather than pitching in front of it. Odorizzi was an emergency signing in 2021 after Framber Valdez' injury in Spring Training, and he scuffled his way through his 1 1/2 seasons in Houston.

Odorizzi made 12 wildly erratic starts for the Astros last season. He looked dynamic in some and in others was completely unable to get batters out. He was even carted off the field in mid-May as he was finally finding form.

He made five starts upon his return and was eventually sent to Atlanta at the trade deadline for Will Smith, who was left off of multiple playoff rosters and did not touch a baseball in the postseason for Houston. While Odorizzi handled his exit with class, he had previously pouted multiple times about not having the role he thought he deserved.

Odorizzi was then dreadful in his stint in Atlanta. It's best we all move on from this one.

Jason Castro

This one is more sad than anything. Castro the Astro was a bright spot during the dark tanking days of the early 2010's. He returned in 2021 and had the biggest hit of his career in a must-win Game 4 of the ALCS.

He came back in 2022 to platoon the catching duties with Maldy, but struggled mightily as he battled injury, recording a -0.6 bWAR and a .384 OPS.

Castro underwent season-ending knee surgery, but not before ending his season (and career) on a high-note, blasting a game-winning home run in what was the final at-bat of his career. Castro took home his first World Series ring and retired after the season.

We are so glad the long-time Astro finally got his much deserved ring, but it would have been even sweeter to see him physically able to contribute down the stretch. Thanks for the memories Jason!