The Houston Astros have made two roster moves Saturday ahead of their matchup against the Baltimore Orioles, designating reliever Shawn Dubin for assignment and recalling right-hander AJ Blubaugh from Triple-A Sugar Land, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reported.
Dubin, 29, has had a bumpy 2025 season, spending time on the injured list with separate issues in his shoulder, ankle, and forearm. He struggled following his most recent return from the IL on August 12, allowing 13 earned runs over 5⅓ innings across five appearances, inflating his season ERA to 5.61. In total, Dubin posted a 5.61 ERA, 1.481 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts against eight walks in 25.2 innings pitched this year, while giving up 2.1 home runs per nine innings. His season concluded with a -0.4 bWAR.
Before 2025, Dubin had shown promise in the Astros’ bullpen. Drafted in the 13th round in 2018, he debuted in 2023, pitching seven innings over three games. Last year, he appeared in 31 games, throwing 45.1 innings with a 4.17 ERA and 49 strikeouts, recording two saves.
Amid sporadic strong performances, his overall ERA+ of 84 across his 57 career games and -0.5 bWAR indicated below-average performance, ultimately prompting Houston to move on. Dubin’s removal from the roster also opens a 40-man spot, likely for the activation of outfielder Yordan Alvarez from the 60-day IL.
Blubaugh, 25, the Astros’ No. 16 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, was recalled to provide a long-relief option. The right-hander has made two major-league appearances in 2025, a four-inning spot start in April where he struck out six but allowed seven total runs (five unearned), and a five-inning bulk relief outing on August 5 against the Marlins, allowing two runs and striking out five.
His Triple-A season included a six-inning start and a four-inning relief appearance, demonstrating durability and versatility. Across 99 innings in the minors this season, Blubaugh recorded 101 strikeouts with a 5.27 ERA and a 5.3 walks-per-nine-innings rate, showing solid strikeout ability despite some command issues. In 2024, he pitched 124.2 innings at Triple-A with a 3.83 ERA, establishing himself as a reliable depth option for Houston.
The Astros’ pitching staff has been heavily impacted by injuries this season, with 13 different pitchers starting games and several bullpen arms missing time. Star closer Josh Hader will miss the remainder of the regular season due to a capsule sprain, and left-hander Bennett Sousa is out with a flexor/pronator strain. Blubaugh’s call-up provides a needed fresh arm in a bullpen already stretched thin.
Nevertheless, the Astros continue to lead the American League West by two games, hoping that roster adjustments like these will stabilize the pitching staff as they push toward the postseason.
