Dustin

Harris

Harris declined the assignment and is now a free agent. He’s hit .233/.333/.302 in 52 plate appearances with the White Sox and Astros this season.

Harris has been ejected from Houston’s active roster after spending a couple weeks with the club. He went 7-for-31 with four RBI and two steals in 11 games after being claimed off waivers from the White Sox last month.

Harris was pulled from Tuesday’s game after he was hit by a pitch on his left hand. Fortunately, he suffered just a contusion and is feeling much improved after a couple of days off. The 26-year-old outfielder will start in left field and bat seventh against Will Warren and the Yankees on Friday evening in Houston.

Harris appears to have avoided serious injury after being hit by a pitch during the fourth inning of this one. He’s presumably day-to-day heading into Wednesday’s series finale.

The Astros can’t afford another hit to their outfield depth. Harris was hit by a pitch on the left hand during a fifth-inning at-bat before leaving the contest. Journeyman reserve outfielder Daniel Johnson, who signed a minor league contract literally two days ago, took over in left field. You can’t make this stuff up.

Harris fortifies Houston’s outfield depth after Joey Loperfido left Friday’s game with quad tightness. The Astros are familiar with Harris since he spent more than a half-decade in the minors between the division-rival Rangers and Athletics earlier in his career. The 26-year-old profiles as a quality reserve outfielder but is unlikely to carve out a full-time role at this stage of his development.

The White Sox needed room on the 40-man and active roster for Sam Antonnaci, so Harris was let go. The 26-year-old went 3-for-12 with a double, two runs scored, two steals, and a 1/4 K/BB ratio in 16 plate appearances for the White Sox this season. They will likely be hoping he goes unclaimed on waivers so they can bring him back on a minor league deal.

It seemed like an injury to Austin Hays could open up a starting spot at designated hitter for Sosa, but it seems like the White Sox are content to play him only against Lefty. Dustin Harris will start in left field today with Miguel Vargas at DH. It’s unclear what Sosa could have done better last year to earn a starting spot in Chicago.

With Austin Hays landing on the IL with a hamstring strain, the White Sox needed another outfielder. Many people may have been hoping for Sam Antonacci to get the call, but the White Sox are going to give him more time in the minors. That also likely indicates that the White Sox are not looking to fill a starting role with this call-up. Harris stole 33 bases in the minors for the Rangers last year, so he will likely be a pinch runner and part-time player while Hays is out, with Andrew Benintendi moving out to left field and Lenyn Sosa getting more of a chance for regular DH at-bats.

Smith is the notable inclusion here after an impressive Cactus League outings against the division-rival Royals over the weekend where he struck out five over two scoreless innings. The 22-year-old southpaw projects as an impactful fantasy contributor once he reaches the majors based on his stratospheric strikeouts rates throughout his career.