LHP John Rooney is now part of the big league club.
Astros make roster move before series finale at Baltimore originally appeared on The Sporting News
The Houston Astros announced this morning that they have recalled LHP John Rooney from Triple-A Sugar Land and optioned RHP AJ Blubaugh to Triple-A. Houston wraps up a series at Baltimore today at 1:35 p.m. ET.
Blubaugh, the Astros' No. 16 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has appeared in three games for Houston this season and went 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA. After making his Major League debut in April, he joined the big league club again for two games in August before his option.
Rooney has been in the minors since he was selected in the third round of the 2018 Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has yet to make his MLB debut.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/eoPOGQ9rsR
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 24, 2025
Rooney’s background
The 28-year-old lefty was a part of the Dodgers’ farm system until 2024, when he elected free agency and signed with the Marlins. Miami traded him to the Astros for cash on Aug. 3.
He’s been an exceptional reliever this year in Triple-A, boasting a 2.56 ERA with 12 holds over 43 games. In five appearances for Sugar Land, he has a 3.18 ERA and 10 strikeouts.
Blubaugh was the Astros’ seventh-round pick in the 2022 Draft and made his MLB debut this season vs. Detroit on April 30, when he allowed seven runs (two ER) in four innings pitched. He yielded four runs across nine frames in another stint with Houston in August.
The Astros have increased their lead in the AL West, sitting three games ahead of the Seattle Mariners. Houston has followed a four-game losing streak with three consecutive wins and will try to earn a series sweep at Baltimore later today.
Category: Baseball
