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In dire need of some outfield reinforcements, the Houston Astros, on Tuesday, picked up Ben Gamel from the New York Mets off of waivers, as announced by the team's official account on X, formerly known as Twitter. The Astros made space for Gamel on the 40-man roster by transferring starting pitcher J.P. France to the 60-day injured list.
The Mets recently designated Gamel for assignment to make space for the returning Starling Marte. Gamel was signed by New York to a minor-league deal in the first place to cover for Marte's injury, but now that their everyday right fielder is back in action, the 32-year-old outfielder has been deemed as surplus to requirements, paving the way for the Astros to pick him up.
The Astros have injury problems of their own that they are trying to cover for by picking up Ben Gamel. Kyle Tucker has been on the mend since June 3 after sustaining a shin injury that was more serious than initially expected. Tucker appears to be nowhere near a return to the Astros' big-league roster, with manager Joe Espada mentioning that the 27-year-old outfielder hasn't even begun running the bases yet despite already going through batting practice and outfield drills.
Gamel can fill in at both outfield corners, and he is capable of giving his teams solid at-bats as well. In limited action with the Mets earlier this season (30 plate appearances in 18 games), Gamel had an on-base percentage of .400, which has his wRC+ at 110. It's not quite clear yet how big of a role he will be playing for the Astros, but it's safe to say that he will be given a shot to contribute given the team's lack of consistent options in the outfield.
Assessing the Astros' outfield options
Suffice to say, the Astros' outfield has been a weak spot throughout the season, thanks in large part to Kyle Tucker's injury. The trio of Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon, and Jake Meyers have been black holes at the plate, with McCormick being the most egregious offender especially when he has proven to be a solid hitter in the past.
McCormick has slumped very badly in 2024. His first three seasons in the big leagues were very good; he averaged around 2.6 WAR during those years, with his bat being his greatest asset. From 2021 to 2023, McCormick slashed .259/.336/.449, which is good for a .786 OPS. Moreover, he was also a productive contributor on the field. But in 2024, all aspects of his game have tanked.
He has been absolutely atrocious at the plate this season; his slash line is currently at .195/.262/.286 — numbers that should have him in a bench role, not an everyday one. Perhaps the arrival of Ben Gamel would give McCormick the push he needs to get back on track.
At the very least, what Dubon and Meyers have going for them is the fact that they are positive defenders. Despite their respective .646 and .680 OPS marks, they have been worth a combined 2.5 WAR — with Meyers beloved by sabermetrics thanks to his work in center field.
The good news for the Astros is that their infield is one of the best in the MLB. Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve, and Jeremy Pena are some of the most productive players at their position, while Yordan Alvarez remains one of the most feared sluggers in the league. Any boost from the outfield will be gravy.
