The Astros and catcher Victor Caratini have agreed to a $12M, 2-year contract, the AP reports. With Díaz as the starter, that means Martín Maldonado is likely out.
HOUSTON — The Houston Astros swapped pitchers with the Kansas City Royals Wednesday, adding right-hander Dylan Coleman in exchange for minor league right-hander Carlos Mateo.
Coleman, 27, was 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA over 92 2/3 innings in 96 games over parts of three seasons with Kansas City, including 23 games this year as he split time between Triple-A Omaha and the Royals.
The 6-foot-5 pitcher has mostly worked as a reliever. He was at his best in 2022 going 6-2 in 68 relief appearances. In three career appearances against Houston that season, he threw three scoreless innings.
Mateo, 19, pitched in seven games in the Gulf Coast League this year, striking out 12 batters in 8 2/3 innings. He went 2-1 with a 2.63 ERA over 271 1/3 innings with 33 strikeouts. He allowed only 13 walks.
Astros add backup catcher; Maldonado likely out
The Astros and catcher Victor Caratini have agreed to a $12 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement was subject to a successful physical and had not been announced. Caratini can earn additional performance bonuses.
The 30-year-old Caratini spent the last two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers and hit .259 with seven homers and 25 RBIs in 62 games this year as a backup to William Contreras.
Caratini is a .236 career hitter with 38 homers and 171 RBIs in seven major league seasons with the Chicago Cubs (2017-20), San Diego (2021) and Milwaukee (2022-23).
Yainer Díaz is expected to the Astros’ starting catcher next year, and the agreement with Caratini likely means Houston won’t re-sign Martín Maldonado. The 37-year-old has been with the Astros since 2019.
“I’ve been talking to Yainer once a week,” new manager Joe Espada said Monday. “We’re going to do some things in January leading into spring training to prep him for spring training. I don’t want us to get to spring training and start from scratch. So this is going to be starting right now having conversations about our staff, how to attack certain lineups, things that we know that we can help him with, receiving, throwing.”
Maldonado is a fan favorite and was the preferred catcher of starters Justin Verlander and Framber Valdez. Maldy pitched in three World Series games with one championship, along with six playoff appearances in six seasons. He caught two no-hitters and two immaculate innings in the same game for Verlander.
Original News Source
Click here for San Antonio HOA Management