The Astros made a roster move on Tuesday, designating right-handed reliever Kaleb Ort for assignment to clear space for newly signed free agent Tatsuya Imai. The move brings some clarity to Houston’s bullpen picture heading into spring, but it also closes the book-at least for now-on Ort’s brief stint with the club.
Ort arrived in Houston via a waiver claim from Baltimore early in the 2024 season. For a stretch, he looked like a sneaky pickup.
Over 22 appearances with the Astros, he posted a strong 2.55 ERA and flashed the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that teams covet in middle relief. But that performance didn’t quite carry over across the full season.
In total, Ort appeared in a career-high 49 games last year, logging 46 innings with a 4.89 ERA. The strikeout numbers were encouraging-he fanned over 25% of the batters he faced-but control issues reared their head.
His walk rate ballooned to nearly 14%, a significant jump from the 4.3% clip he posted the year prior. That kind of volatility can be tough to manage, especially in a bullpen where consistency is key.
Ort also continued to struggle with the long ball, allowing home runs at an above-average rate for the third straight season. While manager Joe Espada primarily used him in middle-inning situations, injuries to Josh Hader and Bennett Sousa late in the year forced Ort into higher-leverage spots. That shuffle pushed Bryan Abreu into the closer role and elevated Ort’s responsibilities during a critical stretch.
Unfortunately, his season ended prematurely. Ort landed on the injured list in early September with elbow inflammation and didn’t return.
There’s no word of any long-term concern, and he’s expected to be ready for spring training, but the injury came at a tough time. Ort is out of minor league options and will turn 34 soon, so the margin for error was already thin.
With the bullpen getting crowded, the writing was on the wall. Houston projects to open the season with Hader, Abreu, Sousa, Steven Okert, and Bryan King in the mix. Enyel De Los Santos and Nate Pearson are also out of options and appear locked into roster spots-both are on guaranteed deals, with Pearson signing a $1.35 million contract and De Los Santos earning $1.6 million after avoiding arbitration.
Carrying Ort would’ve left the Astros with little room for flexibility during the season, especially with so many arms locked in. Now, he’ll either be traded or placed on waivers in the next five days.
If he clears, Houston could bring him back as a non-roster invitee to camp. Ort has fewer than three years of MLB service and hasn’t been outrighted before, so the door isn’t completely shut-but for now, the Astros are moving forward without him on the 40-man.
