The Astros are selecting catcher César Salazar back onto the big league roster, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Infielder Shay Whitcomb was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. Houston opened a spot on the 40-man roster this afternoon when they designated outfielder Daniel Johnson for assignment.
Salazar’s promotion is spurred by what appears to be a minor injury for starting catcher Yainer Diaz. He’s out of tonight’s lineup with a left abdominal issue. The Astros haven’t placed him on the injured list but seemingly want to stay away from him tonight. Christian Vázquez draws into the lineup against the Dodgers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Salazar provides some insurance as a reserve catcher.
Unless Diaz eventually needs an injured list stay, it’ll probably be a brief stint on the roster for Salazar. He’s out of minor league options and was designated for assignment at the end of Spring Training when Houston opted for Vázquez as their backup catcher. They surely don’t have any regrets about that decision, as the veteran is out to a .333/.390/.519 start to his age-35 season.
Salazar appeared in 36 MLB games as Houston’s third catcher between 2023-25. He’s hitting .193/.333/.281 with one home run over 19 games with Sugar Land this season. The 30-year-old has a solid reputation for his glove and work with a pitching staff but isn’t likely to be much of an offensive threat.
