Bielak, Matijevic Recalled from Triple A; Brown Added to Taxi Squad
HOUSTON, TX – Houston Astros General Manager James Click announced the following roster moves today:
*RHP Justin Verlander has been placed on the 15-day Injured List due to an injured right calf.
*RHP Brandon Bielak has been recalled from Triple A Sugar Land and will be with the ballclub today in Arlington.
*OF Jake Meyers has been optioned to Triple A Sugar Land.
*OF/1B J.J. Matijevic has been recalled from Triple A Sugar Land and will be with the ballclub today in Arlington.
*RHP Hunter Brown, who had been with Sugar Land, has been added to the Taxi Squad and will be with the ballclub today in Arlington.
An MRI done on Verlander’s right calf on Monday revealed fascial disruption, but no muscle fiber disruption. His IL stint is retroactive to Aug. 29. Verlander sustained the injury during his outing on Sunday while moving to cover first base during a rundown in the third inning vs. the Orioles.
Bielak will be making his third stint with the Astros big club this season. In his first two stints, he posted a 3.48 ERA (4ER/10.1IP) in four relief appearances with three walks and 10 strikeouts. In his most recent appearance with the Astros on July 21, he hurled 3.1 inning in relief in the second game of a doubleheader vs. the Yankees. He also went 3.0 innings in relief on June 18 vs. the White Sox. In 19 appearances (11 starts) at Triple A, Bielak is 3-6 with a 3.48 ERA (29ER/75IP) with 38 walks and 70 strikeouts.
Matijevic will be making his fourth stint with the Astros Major League team in 2022. In 27 big league games this season, he is 11×55 (.200) with two doubles, two home runs and four RBI. For the Space Cowboys, he hit .295 (61×207) in 53 games with 14 doubles, 14 home runs and 42 RBI with a .951 OPS.
Meyers hit .209 (29×139) with six doubles, two triples, a home run and 14 RBI in 47 games for the Astros this season. He made 41 starts, all in centerfield.
Brown was 9-4 in 23 appearances (14 starts) for the Space Cowboys this season with a 2.55 ERA (30ER/106IP) and 134 strikeouts in just 106 innings pitched. He also had a 1.08 WHIP and a .186 opponents average, allowing just 70 hits in 106 innings of work. He currently leads the Pacific Coast League in ERA and strikeouts and is tied for the lead in wins.
