Inside the Astros

Houston Astros Must Make Pivotal Call on Promising Utilityman's Future

The Houston Astros are facing a roster crunch as they must decide on the future of one of their promising players who is out of options ahead of MLB Opening Day.
Kade Kistner|
Houston Astros Must Make Pivotal Call on Promising Utilityman's Future
Houston Astros Must Make Pivotal Call on Promising Utilityman's Future

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Houston Astros

The Houston Astros must decide Mauricio Dubón's fate with the franchise ahead of MLB Opening Day. Dubón is out of minor league options, so he must either make the 26-man roster, and remain there, or risk being lost to another team on waivers.

Per the new CBA, a player has three options, which means that he can be sent to the minor leagues over the course of three different seasons but no more than five times a season. 

The Astros will have to decide between Dubón, David Hensley, J.J. Matijevic, and Bligh Madris for their two bench spots that will be open. Hensley is a near lock as he can play across the diamond and in the outfield. 

Dubón likely holds the edge over the other two due to his versatility and the simple fact that he does not have any options available. The versatile utilityman who has a career .244/.287/.366 slashline would likely not pass waivers. 

That makes him a pretty good lock to make the Opening Day roster, but the fact he has no remaining options means that his time as an Astros will likely come to an end if he doesn't earn a 26-man roster spot. 

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Make sure to follow Inside the Astros on Twitter @InsideAstrosSI!

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Kade Kistner
KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.

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