Penn Murfee Right-hander Penn Murfee began a rehab assignment last week but made only one appearance before being shut down due to a “reoccurrence of right elbow discomfort,” according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle.
Murfee, who is now 30 years old, had a promising start to his major league career. Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Mariners, he appeared in 80 games and posted a solid 2.70 earned run average. His 27.9% strikeout rate was impressive, while his 8.5% walk rate was near the league average.
However, his 2023 season was cut short when he underwent Tommy John surgery in July of that year. After the surgery, the Mariners placed him on waivers, and he was claimed by the Mets, then by Atlanta. The Braves non-tendered him, and after re-signing him to a split contract, they put him back on waivers, where the Astros claimed him.
The Astros had hoped that Murfee would bolster their bullpen in the second half of the season once he recovered from his surgery, but that goal now appears uncertain. Manager Joe Espada expressed disappointment, saying, “It’s not ideal. It sucks because I know he’s worked really hard. He wants to get on the field, he wants to pitch for us this season. I still expect him to do it. It’s just, we’re going to have to slow him down a little bit here and see how he feels. It’s day to day right now.”
Despite the setback, Espada hasn’t completely ruled out Murfee’s return this season. If he is cleared to resume his rehab, he will likely need additional outings to regain game readiness after such a long period off. The Astros, who currently lead the West division, could potentially see Murfee contribute if they advance deep into the postseason.
Looking ahead, even if Murfee doesn’t return this year, he could still have a future role with the Astros. With one year and 169 days of major league service time entering this season, Murfee will accumulate service time while on the injured list, reaching 2.169 years if he is not activated and optioned in the near future. He will be eligible for arbitration as a Super Two player this winter, though his missed time will likely limit any substantial salary increase. The Astros have control over him for four more seasons beyond this one.
In other Astros news, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports that Alex Bregman will see some time at first base. Bregman recently missed several games due to right elbow inflammation but has been serving as the designated hitter in the last two games. Shay Whitcomb has been filling in at third base, as Bregman’s elbow has affected his throwing strength. Moving Bregman to first base could reduce the strain on his arm, as first base requires less throwing effort.
Although Bregman’s return to the lineup is a boost, it creates a slightly awkward situation by necessitating daily appearances in the field for Yordan Alvarez. The team has also utilized Yainer Diaz as a designated hitter when Victor Caratini is behind the plate. If Bregman can effectively play first base, it would provide Espada with more lineup flexibility, potentially reducing Alvarez and Diaz’s workloads as the postseason approaches.
First base has been a weak spot for the Astros this year following José Abreu’s release after a tough season. Jon Singleton has primarily taken over, with Zach Dezenzo also getting some opportunities and Diaz occasionally shifting to the position. Singleton’s performance has been modest, hitting .234/.314/.369 with a wRC+ of 97, while Dezenzo has struggled in his limited chances. Bregman, hitting .261/.319/.448 with a 117 wRC+, has been particularly strong recently, batting .296/.351/.512 since June, reflecting a significant improvement from his early-season slump.
