HOUSTON — Peter Lambert will not be heading to Sugar Land after all.
The right-hander requested and was granted his release from his minor-league deal Tuesday, manager Joe Espada confirmed, exercising an opt-out clause after the Astros informed him over the weekend that he would not make the major-league roster.
Lambert, 28, emerged as one of the more pleasant surprises of Houston’s spring. Invited to camp as a non-roster player after spending the 2025 season in Japan’s NPB, he posted a 2.92 ERA across 12⅓ Grapefruit League innings and put himself firmly in the conversation for a swingman or bullpen role.
In the end, Houston’s pitching depth worked against him. With Ryan Weiss, Kai-Wei Teng, AJ Blubaugh, and Spencer Arrighetti all factoring into the club’s plans, there was no available spot for a non-roster arm.
Strong Spring, Tough Numbers Game
Espada made clear the Astros hoped to keep Lambert in the organization despite the roster crunch.
“I talked to Peter—we would love to keep him,” Espada said. “He threw the ball really well. Unfortunately, right now it did not work out for him to be on our club. But we expressed our desire for him to stay.”
Lambert instead chose to explore opportunities elsewhere, a decision that reflects both his performance this spring and the realities of roster construction.
Earned Opportunity Elsewhere
Lambert’s showing in West Palm Beach likely put him on the radar of multiple clubs looking for pitching depth. His ability to compete for a role despite arriving on a minor-league deal made him one of the more notable non-roster stories in camp.
Wherever he lands, he leaves with a strong impression made and a case built for another major-league opportunity.
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