Update (8:14 PM EST): Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that the catcher the Padres are sending to the Astros is Erik Kratz.
*
Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle is reporting that the Astros are sending pitcher Dan Straily to the Padres in a deal involving a catcher. MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart has confirmed Drellich’s report. Obviously, details are scant now, but we’ll update you as more information is known.
Straily, 27, pitched only 16 2/3 innings for the Astros last season, spending most of the year at Triple-A Fresno. He struggled at both levels, putting up a 4.77 with Fresno and 5.40 in the big leagues. Over parts of four seasons in the majors, Straily has battled command issues and hasn’t yet shown swing-and-miss stuff good enough to make up for it.
So far this spring, Straily has allowed eight runs on 15 hits and three walks with 14 strikeouts in 12 innings. He’s now a candidate to pitch out of the back of the Padres’ rotation.
The Astros are hurting for catching depth behind starter Jason Castro, as Max Stassi recently had surgery to repair the hamate bone in his left wrist. Kratz, 35, has a career .667 OPS but can hit for occasional power.
