HOUSTON — The Astros added some depth to their starting rotation on Tuesday by agreeing to a Major League deal with right-hander Ryan Weiss, a source told MLB.com. The deal, which is pending a physical, was not confirmed by the club.
Weiss, 28, spent the past two seasons pitching in Korea, posting a 3.16 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP with 305 strikeouts in 270 1/3 innings with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korean Baseball Organization. The 6-foot-4 Weiss was drafted by the D-backs in 2018 out of Wright State and has pitched in 132 career Minor League games (47 starts) with Arizona and Kansas City, reaching Triple-A in 2021-23. He also pitched in China in ’23.
In 313 1/3 career Minor League innings, he has a 4.88 ERA, a 1.42 WHIP and 294 strikeouts.
The Astros will return Hunter Brown and Cristian Javier to the top of the rotation, with hopes that Spencer Arrighetti will be healthy. Weiss will add some depth, along with Lance McCullers Jr., Colton Gordon and Jason Alexander. AJ Blubaugh (ranked by MLB Pipeline as the club’s No. 16 prospect) and J.P. France will be in the mix in spring camp as well, but the Astros are still in the market for another starter.
Houston signed right-hander Nate Pearson, a former first-round pick of the Blue Jays, to a one-year deal in October. He’s expected to pitch out of Houston’s bullpen. Pearson, 29, split last season between Triple-A Iowa and the Cubs before being released on Sept. 21.
