Peter Lambert Nears Potential Astros Debut After Taxi Squad Addition

This Houston Astros elevated Peter Lambert to their taxi squad as they try to figure out how to plot out their starting rotation.

Houston Astros pitcher Peter Lambert. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

For the second time in less than a week, the Houston Astros have added a potential starting pitcher to their taxi squad.

On Thursday The Athletic’s Chandler Rome (subscription required) reported that Houston had elevated Peter Lambert to its taxi squad. There is no indication on what the Astros intend to do with the 28-year-old right-hander, but if a move earlier this week is any indication, he could be Houston’s starting pitcher on Friday when the Astros host the St. Louis Cardinals.

After Thursday's game, Rome reported that Lambert would be the starter for Friday's game and have his contract selected.

Earlier this week, Houston added Spencer Arrighetti to the taxi squad. A day later, Houston activated him and made him its starting pitcher for Wednesday's game with the Colorado Rockies. Arrighetti was terrific, as he struck out 10 and claimed the victory.

Peter Lambert as Astros Starter

Colorado Rockies pitcher Peter Lambert. | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The taxi squad is made up of up to five players that can be available to a team immediately. In most cases, MLB teams like the Astros call up those players to the taxi squad when they’re on road trips so they don’t have to elevate players from the minor leagues and wait for them to arrive. By putting Lambert on the taxi squad, it’s clear Houston believed it had a need for another arm.

Rome also posted the probable starting pitchers for the series. Lance McCullers Jr. is set to start Saturday's contest, and Mike Burrows will start the finale on Sunday.

He's also well rested. After he failed to make the opening day roster, Houston sent him to Triple-A Sugar Land. After a relief appearance on March 29, he has started his last two games on April 4 and April 10. If Lambert starts Friday's game, he would do so on a week's rest and after his sharpest game of the season.

Against Tacoma on April 10, he allowed four hits and one earned run in six innings, his longest outing of the year. He struck out eight and walked one.

Lambert has Major League experience as a starter, all with the Colorado Rockies, the franchise he broke in with in 2019. He has started 35 of his 74 MLB appearances and he carries an 8-19 record with a 6.28 ERA in the Majors. His only season as a full-time starter was as a rookie in 2019, when he went 3-7 with a 7.25 ERA in 19 starts. He struck out 57 and walked 36 in 89.1 innings as batters hit .321 against him.

At one point, Lambert was seen as a potential relief option. But, with the myriad of injuries to the starting rotation, Houston may need him for a different reason. Either way, signing him to a minor league deal last offseason turned into a wise investment.