The Houston Astros claimed outfielder Dustin Harris off waivers from the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, designating right-hander J.P. France for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster.
Harris, 26, arrives at a moment of outfield need. Center fielder Jake Meyers is on the injured list, and Joey Loperfido left Friday’s game against the Cardinals with right quad tightness and was undergoing an MRI on Saturday. A left-handed hitter with experience at all three outfield positions, Harris has appeared in 27 major-league games over the past three seasons with the Texas Rangers and Chicago White Sox, posting a .224/.318/.414 slash line in 66 plate appearances. He also owns a .276/.366/.417 line in 297 career games at Triple-A.
Because Harris is out of minor-league options, he must be added to the active roster. Manager Joe Espada said Harris is expected to join the team “soon” and will primarily play the corners.
“Our reports have him pretty good in the corners, left-handed bat, there’s some speed in there that we liked,” Espada said.
With Loperfido’s status uncertain, Harris could factor into a left-field mix that also includes Yordan Alvarez and right-handed Brice Matthews.
France Designated
France made three appearances for Houston this season after being called up to help patch a rotation decimated by injuries, allowing six earned runs in 6⅔ innings for an 8.10 ERA. He had previously been designated for assignment in January when the club traded for Kai-Wei Teng, cleared waivers, and accepted an assignment back to Sugar Land. Whether he clears waivers again and returns to the organization remains to be seen.
Bielak Returns, Yajure Signed
The Astros also continued to fortify their Triple-A Sugar Land roster on Friday, signing right-hander Brandon Bielak to a minor-league deal. Bielak, 30, spent parts of five seasons with Houston from 2020 through 2024 before being designated for assignment and traded to the Athletics. He missed most of last season following shoulder surgery and is scheduled to start for Sugar Land on Sunday. His signing is the latest sign of how aggressively the organization is stockpiling arms at the Triple-A level — a necessity given the state of the major-league staff, which we detailed in Saturday’s pitching crisis piece.
The Astros also signed right-hander Miguel Yajure to a minor-league deal and assigned him to Sugar Land. Yajure, 27, made 19 major-league appearances with the Yankees and Pirates from 2020 through 2022 and owns a career 3.56 ERA in 110 minor-league outings. He spent the last two seasons pitching in Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan.
More Injury News
Friday’s loss to the Cardinals added two more names to Houston’s walking wounded list. Shortstop Nick Allen was knocked out of the game with back spasms, with Isaac Paredes replacing him in the infield. Paredes was then removed from the contest himself with a leg injury, with Shay Whitcomb finishing out the game. Paredes returned to the lineup Saturday at DH. Allen was not in the starting nine on Saturday. With Allen sidelined, Carlos Correa figures to see more time at shortstop, with Paredes sliding to third.
Left-hander Bennett Sousa, meanwhile, is nearing a return from the oblique strain that has kept him out since spring training. According to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, Sousa’s final hurdle is pitching on consecutive days in the minors, which he is in line to do next week. Sousa posted a 2.84 ERA across 50 appearances last season and will give the bullpen a much-needed left-handed option when he returns.
Dezenzo Begins Rehab
On a more encouraging note, outfielder Zach Dezenzo began a rehab assignment with Double-A Corpus Christi on Friday. Dezenzo has been on the 10-day injured list since March 25 with a right elbow sprain after being hit by a pitch. He saw his first action Saturday, getting hit by a pitch again and grounding into a double play in his lone plate appearance. His return would provide a welcome outfield option at the major-league level once he is cleared.
A Busy Weekend
Saturday’s flurry of moves reflects the reality of Houston’s early 2026 season—a club scrambling on multiple fronts to stay afloat. The outfield has been thinned by injury, the pitching staff is in the midst of a historically difficult stretch, and the front office has been working the waiver wire and the free agent market to keep the organization stocked with options. Harris addresses an immediate need. Bielak and Yajure buy the club time at Sugar Land. And Dezenzo’s rehab, however modest its opening act, at least points toward better days ahead.
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