Veteran right-hander Rafael Montero has made the Astros’ Opening Day roster, experiences Ari Alexander of Houston’s KPRC-2. Lefty Steven Okert has additionally made the minimize, per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart. Righty Luis Contreras has additionally made the membership, per Alexander. Lefty Bryan King will even break camp, whereas non-roster righty Logan VanWey will head to Triple-A. McTaggart provides that first baseman Jon Singleton has been knowledgeable that he is not going to make the workforce. Each Montero and Okert had been non-roster invitees in camp, which means each will must be chosen to the 40-man roster.
Yesterday’s launch of Ben Gamel opened one emptiness on the 40-man for the Astros, and it appears one other shall be created by designating Singleton for task, buying and selling him or releasing him. Singleton is on the 40-man roster however out of minor league choices, so a technique or one other he’ll be coming off between now and Opening Day. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, he may probably stay with the group by accepting an outright task — however he’d even have the precise to reject that task in favor of free company.
Montero, 34, is within the remaining season of an ill-fated three-year, $34.5MM deal signed when the Astros had been working with no normal supervisor in place. Proprietor Jim Crane and advisor Jeff Bagwell had been reported to be working baseball operations on the time, having parted methods with James Click on following the 2022 season. That interval produced regrettable agreements with each Montero and the since-released Jose Abreu, to whom the ’Stros nonetheless owe $19.5MM this season.
Montero’s deal rapidly blew up in comparable vogue to that of Abreu. He pitched to a 5.08 ERA in 2023, permitting a median of 1.47 homers per 9 frames alongside the best way, and was tagged for a 4.70 mark in 38 1/3 innings in 2024, proving much more homer-prone that season. Houston handed Montero by way of waivers final summer time, and he opted to just accept a minor league task even if he may’ve elected free company and retained his whole wage.
The hard-throwing Montero will now return to Houston’s bullpen, not less than for the beginning of the season. He allowed 5 runs (4 earned) on six hits and 7 walks with 10 strikeouts in 8 2/3 spring innings. Statistically talking, Montero didn’t have the perfect spring of Astros NRIs (significantly with regard to that 18.4% stroll price), however the Astros are paying him $11.5MM regardless, so that they’ll attempt to recoup some worth and hope he can development nearer to his excellent 2022 type.
Okert, 33, is one other story totally. He signed a minor league deal again in November and promptly gave the ’Stros no selection however to hold him on the roster. In 11 spring frames, Okert held opponents scoreless. The veteran southpaw allowed solely 4 baserunners — two hits, two walks — and fanned 17 of the 36 batters he confronted (47.2%). His minor league deal carries a $1.2MM base wage.
Okert was a productive reliever with the Marlins in 2022-23 however struggled by way of 35 1/3 innings with the Twins in 2024. His lone season in Minnesota resulted in a 5.09 ERA with a 20.6% strikeout price (second-lowest of his profession) and 10% stroll price. On high of a diminished strikeout price and shaky command, Okert yielded a career-high 1.53 HR/9.
The 28-year-old Contreras, like Okert, made it exhausting for the Astros to depart him off the roster. He’s already on the 40-man and will’ve been optioned, however he rattled off 9 2/3 shutout frames throughout camp, fanning 32.5% of his opponents. His 10% stroll price may stand to return down, but when Contreras can proceed to overlook bats at that stage, he may get by with a higher-than common price of allotting free passes. He made his massive league debut for Houston final 12 months however was tagged for six runs in six innings. His robust spring will earn him one other look, although.
As for Singleton, this wave of selections will value him his 40-man roster spot. The previous high prospect returned to the Astros in 2023 after a short look with the Brewers. That MLB comeback got here on the heels of an eight-year absence. He wound up serving as Houston’s main first baseman in 2024, after the membership minimize Abreu. Singleton hit .234/.321/.386 and popped 13 house runs however struggled with the glove and on the basepaths. He hit simply .171/.239/.195 in 46 spring plate appearances. These struggles, plus the offseason signing of Christian Walker to play first base, left Singleton with a troublesome path to the roster and a restricted position if he’d made it.
